restore Archives

Winsage

June 10, 2025

6 essential steps that Windows 11 users often miss after a fresh install

Many users overlook crucial default settings after installing Windows 11, which can lead to performance issues, privacy vulnerabilities, and complications during recovery. Key settings to configure include: 1. System Restore: This feature is disabled by default and allows users to revert system files and settings to a previous state. To enable it, users must access the System Properties page, select the main drive, click Configure, and turn on system protection. 2. BitLocker Recovery Key: Windows 11 automatically activates BitLocker on new installations. Users should back up their recovery key in their Microsoft account to avoid issues during startup. 3. Power Settings: Users should adjust power settings to prevent underperformance. This includes selecting "Best Performance" for both "Plugged in" and "On battery" modes and configuring screen and sleep timeouts. 4. Privacy Settings: Windows 11 collects diagnostic data by default. Users can enhance privacy by turning off features like "Find my device," "Personalized offers," and "Advertising ID," as well as disabling optional diagnostic data transmission. 5. Device Drivers: Users should verify that all device drivers are correctly installed, as the operating system may not install drivers for critical components. This can be checked in Device Manager, and updates can be managed through Windows Update. 6. System Backup: Establishing a backup is essential for data protection. Users can set up regular backups using the "Backup and Restore" feature by connecting an external drive and following the setup process in Control Panel.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

If you deleted that mysterious Windows file Microsoft told you not to, there’s a new script to restore it

The 'inetpub' folder, which appears on system drives (C:) after the April 2025 security update for Windows 10 and 11, is essential for protecting users against the security vulnerability CVE-2025-21204. This vulnerability involves improper link resolution before file access and can allow an authorized attacker to escalate privileges. Although the folder may seem empty and Internet Information Services (IIS) might not be in use, its deletion can compromise the effectiveness of the security patch, exposing systems to vulnerabilities. Microsoft recommends using a PowerShell script to restore the folder if deleted, rather than recreating it through IIS, which may add unwanted system folders.

AppWizard

June 9, 2025

Everything Revealed During The PC Gaming Show 2025

The PC Gaming Show 2025 featured over 60 trailers in a nearly three-hour livestream, showcasing new titles and updates on previously announced games. Major reveals included world premieres of titles such as Ambrosia Sky, Ratatan, and The Alters, covering a variety of genres like roguelikes, co-op shooters, and survival sims. Key titles highlighted include: - Ambrosia Sky: A first-person sci-fi game where players confront an alien fungus in a space colony. - Far Far West: A co-op game where players are robo-bounty hunters in a Wild West setting. - Neverwinter Nights: Enhanced Edition: Revives classic Dungeons & Dragons adventures with new features. - Fresh Tracks: A skiing adventure game with music elements. - Terminull Brigade: A co-op hero shooter set in a digital realm. - Ratatan: A rhythm-action game featuring online co-op battles. - Moomintroll: Winter's Warmth: A narrative-driven game about friendship and resilience. - Necesse: A sandbox action-adventure game focused on building and exploration. - Den of Wolves: A session-based shooter involving cooperative heists. - All Systems Dance: A game that combines dance battles with a dystopian narrative. - Spooky Express: A management simulation game set in a monster-themed theme park. - The Rogue Prince of Persia: A roguelite experience featuring acrobatics. - Enginefall: A multiplayer social sandbox aboard a mega-train. - EVE Frontier: A player-driven sandbox in a harsh cosmic environment. - Skyrig: A game focused on building rigs to extract gases in a stormy atmosphere. - Kaizen: A Factory Story: A factory design game set in 1980s Japan. - Dawn Apart: A colony simulation game on a destructible voxel planet. - Modulus: A factory-building game with customizable modules. - Generation Exile: A turn-based city-builder aboard a generation starship. - Pathfinder: Abomination Vaults: A co-op hack-and-slash ARPG. - Moonlighter 2: The Endless Vault: Continues the story of its predecessor with action-RPG elements. - Barotrauma – Home & Harbor: An expansion for managing a deep-sea outpost. - No, I'm Not A Human: A narrative-driven game set in a dying world. - Botsu: A physics-based competitive gaming title. - No More Room In Hell 2: A co-op survival game in zombie-infested zones. - Farever: An online co-op action RPG in a fantasy world. - Mandrake: A narrative game about uncovering family mysteries. - Pizza Bandit: A cooking and shooting game. - Demonschool: A tactics RPG combining university life with battles. - The Last Caretaker: A survival game set in a flooded world. - Railborn: A game about building trains and managing resources. - Voyagers of Nera: A cooperative survival-crafting game in a magical ocean world. - Icarus: Great Hunts Campaigns: Offers nonlinear missions with unique stories. - Garbage Country: An exploration sim in a post-apocalyptic wasteland. - DarkSwitch: A vertical city builder around a great tree. - Sprint X Strike: A chaotic battle game in a post-apocalyptic setting. - Worship: A multiplayer roguelite about cultists performing rituals. - Stars of Icarus: A starship combat game emphasizing teamwork. - 007 First Light: A game featuring a young Bond's journey. - goblinAmerica: A game where players possess U.S. presidents to correct historical mistakes. - EverSiege: Untold Ages: A rogue-lite action-strategy game. - Pigface: A narrative-driven game about confronting the past. - TerraTech: An open-world sandbox adventure game. - Paralives: A life simulation game focused on building and managing lives. - Lost Rift: A cooperative survival game on an archipelago. - Hell Clock: A roguelike ARPG. - Militsioner: A narrative-driven escape game. - Arcane Eats: A roguelike deckbuilder. - Guntouchables: A cooperative survival game against mutants. - Ultrakill – Layer 8: Fraud: Details are yet to be revealed. - Stario: Heaven Tower: A game about building ecosystems. - Dispatch: A superhero workplace comedy. - Wheel World: An open-world mission game. - FBC: Firebreak: A cooperative FPS in a federal agency. - Anno 117: Pax Romana: A historical city-building game. - Baby Steps: A walking simulator exploring self-discovery. - Warhammer 40,000: Darktide – Arbites: Players enforce law in a Warhammer universe. - Endless Legend 2: A fantasy strategy game. - Berserk or Die: A survival game against overwhelming odds. - Mycopunk: A game about uncovering a fungal catastrophe. - Bippo Plus: An interactive experience for Playdate owners. - Morbid Metal: A roguelike with simultaneous character control. - Love Eternal: A psychological horror platformer. - Bus Bound: A public bus service management game. - Atmosfar: A survival and co-op road trip adventure set for early access in 2026. - Void/Breaker: A sci-fi FPS with destructible environments. - Grave Seasons: A farming simulation with a mystery element. - Eyes of Hellfire: A multiplayer horror game with puzzles. - Deadwire: An action game with hacking elements. - Dinkum: A life simulation game on islands. - Void Martyrs: An action game set in a grimdark world. - CloverPit: A unique gameplay experience set to release in summer. - Eclipsium: A title with intense visuals and gameplay elements. - Abyssus: A cooperative FPS adventure. - Ascendant: A multiplayer shooter with chaotic gameplay. - Mewgenics: An endless cat breeding RPG set for release on February 10, 2026. - Dead Reset: A sci-fi horror FMV adventure. - Bernband: A lighthearted cyberpunk game. - Wanderburg: A roguelike adventure with a castle on wheels.

Winsage

June 9, 2025

Microsoft: Remedy for security vulnerability due to deleted “inetpub” folder

A recent Microsoft security update has created a new folder named "inetpub" on Windows systems, which is essential for system security. If users delete this folder, it can lead to significant vulnerabilities. Microsoft has released a Powershell script, Set-InetpubFolderAcl.ps1, to restore the "inetpub" folder and set the correct permissions. Systems that installed the April security update (KB5055528) must take immediate action if the "inetpub" directory is missing. The script also updates access rights for the "DeviceHealthAttestation" directory, if it exists. Administrative rights are required to run the script. This issue was highlighted by IT security researcher Kevin Beaumont, who noted that deleting the "inetpub" folder could disrupt the installation of future security updates.

AppWizard

June 8, 2025

Leaf blowing simulation game Leaf Blower Co. announced for PC

Publisher Forklift Interactive and developer LifT Games are set to launch Leaf Blower Co., a leaf-blowing simulation game, on PC via Steam in 2025. A demo of the game is currently available. Players will engage in clearing leaves, building their business, acquiring tools, and unlocking upgrades. The game features a complete story mode, various seasonal challenges, optional bonus objectives, and a Free Play mode that allows customization of location, weather, and time of day.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

Psychological time loop life simulation game Fractured Blooms announced for PC

Serenity Forge has announced its new project, Fractured Blooms, a psychological time loop life simulation game featuring artwork by Satchely and a fully voiced narrative by Nichole Goodnight. The game will be available on PC via Steam, but no specific release date has been provided. It invites players to restore a neglected house through various activities, including growing crops, cooking meals, and managing resources while navigating a time loop. The narrative is inspired by real stories from the founder's family, aiming to foster empathy and reflection. Key features include gardening, cooking, home decoration, resource management, and discovering surprises each day. An announcement trailer and screenshots are available for viewing.

AppWizard

June 7, 2025

‘I’m not here to apologize but I am here to clarify’: Splitgate 2 boss says his Make FPS Great Again hat is ‘not a political statement’

1047 Games unveiled a battle royale mode for Splitgate 2 at the Summer Game Fest, announced by CEO Ian Proulx. Proulx wore a hat with the phrase "MAKE FPS GREAT AGAIN," which drew mixed reactions from viewers. He later clarified the hat's message on social media, emphasizing the company's commitment to improving the multiplayer FPS experience. The launch included a shop refresh with a new skin bundle, the most expensive item in the game, prompting discussions about in-game purchase value. The new mode led to a surge in players and technical issues, including problems with the experience points (XP) system, which the company is working to resolve.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Microsoft shares script to restore inetpub folder you shouldn’t delete

Microsoft has released a PowerShell script to help restore the C:Inetpub folder, which is crucial for addressing a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability associated with Windows Process Activation. The folder's unexpected appearance after the April 2025 Windows security updates led some users to delete it, inadvertently exposing their systems to vulnerabilities. Microsoft emphasizes that the folder should not be deleted, as it is integral to the security framework, regardless of whether Internet Information Services (IIS) is active. The script allows administrators to recreate the folder with the correct permissions and access control settings.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Microsoft Issues Critical Windows Update—Do Not Delete This

Users may face a significant vulnerability related to a Windows update from April 2025, particularly concerning the "inetpub" folder, which is essential for the security of Windows 11 systems. Microsoft clarified that this folder, linked to Internet Information Services (IIS) and necessary for hosting capabilities, should not be deleted. If users have removed the folder, they must restore it to address the security patch for CVE-2025-21204, as its absence can lead to risks such as privilege escalation and unauthorized access. Microsoft has provided a PowerShell script to restore the folder without enabling IIS, and users are advised to follow specific commands to execute the fix. However, many users may not take action, leaving their systems vulnerable.

Winsage

June 6, 2025

Your Windows PC might be at risk if you deleted the “inetpub” folder, but there’s a fix

Windows users have encountered a new "inetpub" folder on their primary drive after the April 2025 Patch Tuesday update. This folder is empty and occupies no storage space, but many users have deleted it out of concern. Microsoft has stated that the folder is part of a security patch for vulnerability CVE-2025-21204 and should not be removed, as it is linked to Internet Information Services (IIS). Users can restore the folder using a PowerShell script if they have deleted it. The folder addresses a security flaw related to improper link resolution that could allow local attackers to manipulate files. Instructions for restoring the folder include running PowerShell as Administrator, allowing signed scripts, downloading a specific script, and applying the fix.