root Archives

Winsage

June 3, 2025

Microsoft patches the patch that put Windows 11 in a coma

Microsoft has released a fix for a recent patch that caused some Windows 11 PCs to enter recovery mode due to an error code linked to the May Patch Tuesday update. The issue primarily affected virtual boxes and some physical devices, displaying the message: "Your PC/Device needs to be repaired. The operating system couldn't be loaded because a required file is missing or contains errors. File: ACPI.sys. Error code: 0xc0000098." The fix, identified as KB5062170, does not address an ongoing issue with Noto fonts, where CJK characters appear blurry in Chromium browsers at 100 percent scaling. Users can temporarily adjust the scaling to 125 or 150 percent to mitigate this problem. Microsoft has faced similar challenges with out-of-band fixes in the past, affecting both Windows 10 and Windows Server.

Winsage

June 2, 2025

Microsoft issues out-of-band patches for Windows 11 startup failure

Microsoft invests significant resources into patch testing prior to software release, but the complexity of modern software makes it nearly impossible to account for every potential scenario. Tyler Reguly, associate director of security R&D at Fortra, states that human intervention is required at large scales, and humans are fallible. The transparency of Root Cause Analysis (RCA) reports is limited, leaving stakeholders with only swift resolutions. When human error is identified, changes in processes or policies may be necessary, while edge cases can arise from various factors, especially in environments where hardware and virtualization intersect. Reguly notes the unpredictability of such systems and emphasizes the limitations of expecting comprehensive coverage in a complex technological landscape.

Winsage

June 2, 2025

Microsoft promises to sort out USB shambles

Microsoft is updating its Windows Hardware Compatibility Program (WHCP) for Windows 11 to standardize USB-C port functionality across devices. The new guidelines will ensure that all USB-C ports on certified Windows 11 devices support data transfer, charging, and display output. This initiative aims to eliminate confusion for users regarding port capabilities. Additionally, USB 40Gbps ports will be compatible with USB4 and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals, while USB 3.X ports may not match the performance of USB4. Microsoft will also require USB-IF certified silicon in PCs and will validate USB controllers with its own drivers to ensure seamless updates through Windows Update.

Winsage

June 1, 2025

A week of hell with my Windows 11 PC really makes me appreciate the simplicity of Google’s Chromebook laptops

The author's PC experienced significant issues while trying to run DOOM: The Dark Ages, primarily due to problems with NVIDIA RTX graphics drivers on a system equipped with an Intel Core i7-14700K and NVIDIA RTX 5080. The Windows 11 Start Menu became unresponsive, leading to a complete system failure despite attempts to roll back and update drivers. The author used a USB drive with a Linux installer as a temporary solution but continued to face crashes. Attempts to reinstall Windows were complicated by an incorrectly formatted USB stick, which needed to be exFAT. Ultimately, the author resolved the issues by wiping both SSDs and creating fresh partitions. The author also noted the complexity and bloat of Windows 11 compared to the simplicity of ChromeOS, which has become a reliable alternative for tasks and gaming.

Winsage

May 31, 2025

Microsoft Warns Windows Users—Emergency Update Within Days

Microsoft is addressing issues with the May 13, 2025 Windows security update (KB5058405) that is failing to install on some Windows 11, version 22H2 and 23H2 devices. An out-of-band update is planned to be released shortly. A recovery error message indicating that “your PC/Device needs to be repaired” may appear, with the root cause identified as an ACPI.sys driver problem, potentially showing the error code: 0xc0000098. Most reports of this update failure have come from virtual environments, affecting enterprise users more than home users. Earlier in May, a similar emergency update was issued for Windows 10 users experiencing a BitLocker Recovery screen during the installation of a security update.

Winsage

May 30, 2025

Still on Windows 11 23H2 because you’re worried 24H2 is a disaster for PC gaming? Microsoft’s latest update could persuade you to finally upgrade

The latest optional patch for Windows 11, identified as KB5058499, addresses critical issues affecting PC games, particularly those using Nvidia GPUs. It resolves problems such as games freezing upon launch and specific titles becoming unresponsive after upgrading to version 24H2. The patch also targets a memory leak within the ‘Input Service,’ which may contribute to input lag and blue screen crashes linked to ‘memory management’ errors. The root cause of the game lock-up problem was found to be within the Windows 11 kernel, not Nvidia's graphics drivers. Users can install the patch to potentially restore functionality to their games or wait for the full cumulative update scheduled for June 10.

AppWizard

May 27, 2025

Google Play’s latest security change may break many Android apps for some power users

Google's Play Integrity API has been updated as of May 2025 to include stricter security measures that verify app integrity on Android devices. The updated API aims to prevent abuse and protect sensitive information but excludes most custom ROMs, making it challenging for users who root their devices. This change means that many applications, particularly in banking, gaming, and medical services, may become inaccessible to rooted users. The new integrity verdicts—“basic,” “device,” and “strong”—now incorporate hardware-backed security signals, with the “strong” verdict requiring recent security patches. Developers will automatically transition to these stronger verdicts, enhancing security without additional effort. As a result, power users may be locked out of essential applications, and workarounds to bypass these restrictions are becoming less effective.

Winsage

May 21, 2025

Windows 10’s latest update packs a nasty bug, and while your system might be safe, it’s vital you check now

Windows 10 users are experiencing issues with the May update, which has a bug affecting business laptops with Intel vPro processors. This bug can cause update installation failures and repeated automatic repair attempts. Microsoft has released an emergency fix, KB5061768, which users should apply before installing the May update. The problem stems from the termination of the lsass.exe service, leading to automatic repair failures and potential lockouts for users with Device Encryption or BitLocker. To recover, users may need to disable Intel Trusted Execution Technology (TXT) and Intel VT for Direct I/O in BIOS settings, which typically requires the BitLocker recovery key. A workaround allows users to disable Intel TXT without changing Intel VT settings. Users can access BIOS by pressing keys like F2, F10, or F12 during startup, navigate to the Intel TXT setting, disable it, and then restart their PC to install the emergency patch. It is recommended to install the emergency fix before downloading the May update. Similar bugs have occurred in previous updates for Windows 10 and 11. Windows 11 users should note that a clean install of version 24H2 automatically applies Device Encryption, which requires careful management of Microsoft account credentials for recovery keys.

Tech Optimizer

May 20, 2025

How to Set Up PostgreSQL with NestJS and Docker for Fast Local Development: A Quick Guide

Launching a new project with PostgreSQL for NestJS development can be efficiently managed by running a local PostgreSQL instance in Docker. This setup includes a Dockerfile for the NestJS application, a docker-compose.yml file to connect Node and PostgreSQL, and an .env file for environment variables. The Dockerfile specifies a Node environment, while the docker-compose.yml file configures services for both the database and the API. The database service uses the PostgreSQL image, and the API service builds from the Dockerfile, ensuring that the database persists through reboots. An .env file is created to store configuration details such as database user, password, and database name. Additionally, package.json scripts are enhanced for quick access to the database and application containers. In the NestJS application, the main startup file initializes the app, and a TypeORM configuration file is provided for database connection settings. Common development commands include starting the services, viewing logs, tearing down containers, and accessing the database and application shells.

Tech Optimizer

May 19, 2025

How to catch and optimize problematic queries in PostgreSQL

Performance issues in PostgreSQL can arise as databases grow, leading to declines in query performance. To identify problematic queries, one can log long-running queries by setting the `log_min_duration_statement` parameter in the `postgresql.conf` file. The `pg_stat_statements` module can be enabled to monitor execution statistics of SQL statements, providing insights into query performance, including execution time and the number of calls. Queries with high standard deviation in execution time may indicate inconsistency, while sorting query statistics by total execution time can reveal excessive load from multiple fast queries. Real-time monitoring can be done using the `pg_stat_activity` view to check active queries and their states, and the `pg_locks` view can help identify blocked processes. The `EXPLAIN` command can analyze query execution plans, and using the `auto_explain` module can log plans for slow queries. Understanding cost parameters in query plans helps in optimizing performance, and different join methods (Nested Loop, Merge Join, Hash Join) have varying complexities and costs. To influence the planner's choice of scanning methods, configuration parameters can be adjusted, such as disabling sequential scanning. Extensions like `sr_plan`, `pg_hint_plan`, and `AQO` can further optimize query execution. Monitoring query progress can be done using dynamic views like `pg_stat_progress_*` for various commands.