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Windows upgrades to Start, Search, and Share might arrive sooner than you expect
Winsage
February 22, 2025

Windows upgrades to Start, Search, and Share might arrive sooner than you expect

A new Drag Tray feature allows users to share files by dragging them to a tray at the top of the screen, simplifying the sharing process. The Start menu can now be customized with a Grid view or a Category view for easier navigation. Windows Search has been updated to allow users to find images by typing a description instead of the file name, including images stored in the cloud. This search enhancement is currently available on Snapdragon-powered Copilot+ PCs, with support for AMD and Intel models expected soon.
The Windows 11 Snipping Tool is about to get a killer new feature
Winsage
February 21, 2025

The Windows 11 Snipping Tool is about to get a killer new feature

Microsoft is adding an advanced optical character recognition (OCR) feature to the Snipping Tool, improving text extraction from images. This feature was discovered by PhantomOfEarth during Windows beta testing and will allow users to extract text with just a couple of clicks, eliminating the need for preliminary screenshots. The Snipping Tool is pre-installed on all Windows 11 devices, making the OCR functionality readily accessible without additional downloads.
How to Fix the "Windows Could Not Find a Driver for Your Network Adapter" Error
Winsage
February 21, 2025

How to Fix the “Windows Could Not Find a Driver for Your Network Adapter” Error

The "Windows Could Not Find a Driver for Your Network Adapter" error occurs when Windows cannot communicate with the network adapter due to outdated, corrupted, or missing drivers. To resolve this issue, users can reinstall network adapter drivers by opening "Device Manager," locating the network adapter under "Network Adapters," right-clicking it to select "Uninstall Device," confirming the uninstallation, and then scanning for hardware changes to prompt Windows to reinstall the adapter and its drivers. Alternatively, users can perform a network reset, which removes all network adapters and restores settings to their original defaults. This involves opening the Settings app, selecting "Network & Internet," clicking on "Network reset," and then clicking "Reset now" to initiate the process.
5 most useful SysInternals tools for optimizing your Windows PC
Winsage
February 20, 2025

5 most useful SysInternals tools for optimizing your Windows PC

SysInternals is a suite of 74 utilities from Microsoft designed to enhance the performance and reliability of Windows PCs. Users can download the entire suite or select individual tools from the Microsoft SysInternals Learn page. 1. AutoRuns: Identifies unnecessary background processes and obsolete registry entries, providing detailed information about each entry. It allows users to review installed drivers and spot potentially harmful entries. Launched via Start menu or by typing Autoruns.exe in the Run dialog. 2. TCPView: Monitors all TCP and UDP connections in real-time, categorizing them by version and displaying ports and connection timestamps. It helps identify bandwidth-hogging processes. Launched via Start menu or by typing tcpview.exe in the Run dialog. 3. RamMap: Provides an in-depth analysis of memory consumption across processes, helping identify memory-hogging applications and diagnose memory leaks. It offers options to clear memory, including emptying working sets, standby lists, and modified lists. Launched via Start menu or by typing rammap.exe in the Run dialog. 4. DiskView: Offers detailed insights into hard drive usage with a color-coded map of disk sectors, helping users identify fragmentation and unused space. Launched via Start menu or by typing diskview.exe in the Run dialog. 5. CacheSet: Optimizes the Windows file system cache by allowing users to adjust cached data management settings and clear the cache with a single click. Launched by typing cacheset.exe in the Run dialog. The SysInternals Suite is cost-free, effective, and compatible with Windows Recovery mode, making it a practical choice for users looking to enhance their PC's performance.
7 ancient apps you can still use in Windows 11
Winsage
February 19, 2025

7 ancient apps you can still use in Windows 11

Disk Cleanup, introduced in Windows 98, helps users reclaim disk space by removing system restore points, temporary files, and remnants from outdated Windows Updates. Windows Media Player, which debuted with Windows 3.0, remains available in Windows 11 and is used for playing DVDs and organizing music collections. The Control Panel has been part of Windows since 1985 and provides access to legacy tools, although Microsoft encourages users to use the modern Settings app. Character Map, introduced in Windows 3.1 in 1992, allows users to access every glyph in installed fonts and is useful for inserting specialized characters. Notepad, a staple since 1983, has received updates including spell check and rich formatting options in Windows 11. The Snipping Tool, first introduced in Windows Vista in 2007, has evolved to include features like screen recording and OCR-powered text extraction. WinZip, a third-party compression tool that debuted in 1991, remains popular for managing ZIP files and continues to function on Windows 11.
These Windows 11 registry hacks will turn you into a PC pro
Winsage
February 19, 2025

These Windows 11 registry hacks will turn you into a PC pro

The Windows Registry Editor is accessed by pressing Win-R, typing regedit, and confirming with “OK.” The registry files are located in “C:WindowsSystem32config” and user-specific files in “C:Users[username].” The five main branches of the registry are: - HkeyCurrentUser: Configuration settings for the current user. - HkeyLocalMachine: Global settings for all users, requiring administrative rights for changes. - HkeyUsers: Contains user IDs for system profiles. - HkeyClassesRoot: Manages file name extensions and program shortcuts. - HkeyCurrentConfig: Links to keys under HkeyLocalMachineSystemCurrentControlSetHardware ProfilesCurrent. Users can create subkeys and values, which can be of different types. To modify the registry, select a key, use the “New” context menu, and double-click to edit. Creating a backup of the registry is recommended before making changes, which can be done using the Registry Backup Portable tool. To restore the registry, select the most recent backup and click “Restore Now.” Microsoft’s Process Monitor can be used to analyze registry values by filtering for “RegSetValue” and tracking changes. Certain registry values are restricted from modification for security reasons, such as the “widgets” feature in Windows 11. However, methods like batch files and PowerShell scripts can override these protections. Windows transmits diagnostic data to Microsoft, impacting user privacy. Tools like O&O Shutup10 and W10Privacy help manage telemetry settings.
Windows 11 KB5051987 breaks File Explorer, install fails on Windows 11 24H2
Winsage
February 16, 2025

Windows 11 KB5051987 breaks File Explorer, install fails on Windows 11 24H2

The release of Windows 11 KB5051987 in February 2025 has led to installation challenges and functionality issues for users. Some users report installation stalls at 96% and error messages indicating missing update files. File Explorer has been disrupted, preventing access to folders like Desktop and Documents, although it remains active in the background. Camera functionality has been compromised, with many users unable to detect their cameras, and performance issues such as mouse stuttering and typing lag have been reported. Users experiencing these problems are advised to uninstall the update and reboot their systems. Additional issues include problems with apps in Windows Sandbox, performance drops in gaming, glitches in the taskbar, and isolated cases of users being unable to boot into Windows post-update.
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