Windows recovery environment Archives

Winsage

December 29, 2025

Windows 11’s Point-in-Time Restore: A Quiet Safety Net for When Things Go Wrong

Windows 11 Point-in-Time Restore is a recovery feature that captures snapshots of the system's state, including system files, applications, settings, and user data, allowing users to revert to a recent stable state when issues arise. It operates automatically once activated, using Volume Shadow Copy technology for comprehensive backups. The feature can quickly reverse changes made within the last 72 hours, addressing problems like faulty driver installations without requiring a complete reinstallation of Windows. However, it has limitations, such as storing restore points locally for a maximum of 72 hours, not recovering long-deleted files, and requiring significant storage space. To enable it, users must use ViveTool to unlock the feature, configure settings for snapshot frequency and retention, and access restore options through the Windows Recovery Environment if needed. It is particularly useful for casual users who frequently modify their systems but may not suffice for power users needing comprehensive backup solutions.

Winsage

December 14, 2025

My top 17 Windows 11 features introduced in 2025 — personal picks from cleaner UI experiences to major PC gaming upgrades

- Windows 11 received numerous enhancements in 2025 through monthly cumulative updates. - The revamped Start menu consolidates Pinned, Recommended, and All sections into a single scrollable interface, allowing up to eight pinned items per row. - The Recommended section can showcase up to six app and file suggestions, with an option to disable it. - The All section organizes apps by category by default, with options for grid or list view. - A redesigned Widgets board integrates a new settings page, allowing users to select which board opens by default. - Users can customize Lock Screen widgets through a new section under Personalization. - A new setting allows users to reposition on-screen hardware indicators for brightness and volume. - A dedicated page for Virtual Workspaces in the Settings app centralizes virtualization controls. - Users can opt for smaller icons on the Taskbar for a more compact arrangement of app buttons. - A new sharing shortcut allows users to send files to compatible apps directly from recent file icons. - An option to disable the "Drag Tray" has been added in the Nearby Sharing settings. - The Notification Center now supports a large clock with seconds and multiple clocks. - The Windows Hello interface has been redesigned with animations for better user engagement. - Support for third-party passkey providers has been integrated into Windows Hello. - A new security feature, Administrator Protection, adds an authentication prompt for actions requiring elevation. - Quick Machine Recovery is designed to repair the operating system during boot failures. - Windows Backup now supports local file transfers during new device setup. - The Xbox Full Screen Experience has been tailored for handheld gaming devices. - A battery percentage display has been added to the Taskbar, along with new battery iconography. - Multi-stream support for cameras allows multiple applications to access the same camera feed simultaneously.

Winsage

December 2, 2025

Microsoft needs to make it easier to disable automatic Windows 11 updates

Updates in the Windows ecosystem are essential for enhancing stability, performance, and security. However, users of Windows 11 have expressed frustration due to frequent updates disrupting functionalities like network connectivity and printer access. Automatic updates can interrupt productivity, with unexpected restart prompts leading to potential loss of unsaved work. Issues with third-party programs and drivers often arise post-update, and older PCs experience significant performance degradation due to background updates. Many users face limitations with internet access, as substantial update sizes can consume data quickly, especially under fair usage policies. Storage constraints on older devices can lead to operational issues, and attempts to pause updates may not always be effective. While updates are crucial for delivering new features and security fixes, their frequency can diminish their perceived importance, causing users to delay addressing issues. Disabling automatic updates can be complicated, requiring adjustments in the Windows Update service, Group Policy Editor, or Registry, which may not be accessible or user-friendly. A simple one-click "Disable" button in the Windows Update settings would enhance user control over update installations, allowing them to manage updates according to their schedules.

Winsage

November 30, 2025

Windows update makes sign-in password icon invisible — Microsoft says you can still click on empty space to enter your password

Microsoft has acknowledged a minor issue in the non-security preview update KB5064081, which may complicate the login process for users by causing the password icon to be missing or invisible on the lock screen. Users can still log in by clicking on the empty space where the button typically resides. This issue primarily affects the Windows user interface and is expected to impact only users within the preview channel. Microsoft is actively working to resolve this issue. Additionally, Microsoft previously issued an emergency patch for a different update that rendered users unable to use their keyboard and mouse in the Windows Recovery Environment and released a driver update that improved performance in certain games by 50%. Windows Insider channels are in place to catch most bugs before they reach the general user base, but some glitches still occur in wider releases.

Winsage

November 30, 2025

Windows 11 bug “hides” your password sign-in button and Microsoft’s fix is… hover and click the right spot

Microsoft has acknowledged a bug in Windows 11 that obscures the “password” icon, preventing users from accessing the password field when logging in. This issue affects all PCs that have installed specific updates released between August 29 and November 11, 2023. Users who wish to log in using a password instead of a PIN are primarily impacted. Although the password button remains functional when hovering over the area where the icon should be, Microsoft has humorously suggested clicking randomly on the lock screen as a workaround.

Winsage

November 22, 2025

Pretty much everything important on Windows 11 has broken, says Microsoft

Windows 11 has encountered significant issues, including failures in the Windows Recovery Environment and complications during the migration from Windows 10 to 11. The recent Windows 11 24H2 update has led to critical failures for users, affecting core shell components such as explorer.exe, shelhost.exe, StartMenuExperienceHost, and ImmersiveShell. Symptoms include application crashes when initializing XAML views, explorer running without a taskbar, failure of the Start menu to launch, silent failures of System Settings, and crashes of ShellHost.exe. Microsoft attributes these problems to applications dependent on XAML packages not registering in time after the update. Reports indicate a shift in user preference, with a Linux distribution for former Windows users achieving 780,000 downloads within a month, reflecting growing dissatisfaction with Windows.

Winsage

November 22, 2025

Nvidia confirms October Windows updates cause gaming issues

Nvidia has acknowledged that recent security updates have caused gaming performance challenges for users on Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. To address these issues, Nvidia released the GeForce Hotfix Display Driver version 581.94. This hotfix driver is a beta version and has not undergone the standard quality assurance procedures, allowing for quicker deployment. Users may experience diminished performance in certain games after installing the Windows 11 October 2025 update, specifically KB5066835. The hotfix drivers are optional and have been expedited to provide timely solutions. Users can access the driver for both Windows 10 x64 and Windows 11 x64 systems via Nvidia's Customer Care support site. Additionally, Microsoft has addressed various bugs in recent Windows updates, including issues with localhost HTTP connections, smart card authentication, and the Windows Recovery Environment.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Nvidia hotfix tackles Windows 11 gaming slowdown

The Windows 11 October 2025 Update has caused declines in gaming performance for some users, prompting Nvidia to release a hotfix based on version 581.80 of its Game Ready Driver. This hotfix is a quick solution aimed at addressing specific issues from the update, particularly gaming slowdowns. Microsoft has acknowledged various problems related to the update, including issues with Blu-ray, DVD, and digital applications, as well as USB mice and keyboards not functioning in the Windows Recovery Environment. Developers have reported disruptions to localhost functionality, affecting web applications on local machines. Despite these challenges, Nvidia's financial results remain strong, although concerns about the high costs and overheating issues of its latest RTX 50 Series cards have been raised. Microsoft has not officially acknowledged the gaming performance issues in its release notes for the October 2025 Update, despite Nvidia confirming their existence.

Winsage

November 21, 2025

Nvidia rushes out a GPU fix, blaming Windows 11’s October update for sluggish performance in games

Nvidia GPU users have experienced performance issues after the October update of Windows 11 (KB5066835), leading to slowdowns in various PC games. Nvidia has released an emergency hotfix to address these performance problems, but users are advised to be cautious as hotfixes undergo less testing than regular updates. Some users report improved frame rates in certain games like Assassin's Creed Shadows, while others still face issues such as monitor flickering. Users with AMD and Intel systems have also reported performance problems due to the October update, which has also disrupted the Windows Recovery Environment, prompting Microsoft to issue an emergency patch.

Winsage

November 20, 2025

Nvidia releases emergency driver update for Windows 11 25H2 and 24H2 — fixes reduced gaming performance driven by botched Windows updates

Nvidia released the GeForce Hotfix Display Driver 581.94 to address performance issues in certain games caused by Microsoft's mandatory patch KB5066835, which affected Windows 11 versions 25H2 and 24H2. The update led to decreased game frame rates for some users. Nvidia recommends that gamers experiencing performance dips download the latest GPU driver. The company issued a second hotfix a week later to resolve remaining issues, including crashes and clock speed irregularities. The initial patch also caused problems with USB keyboards and mice in the Windows Recovery Environment and triggered BitLocker encryption unexpectedly. It is unclear if Intel and AMD will release their own driver updates in response to the issues caused by KB5066835, although performance problems have been reported with their GPUs as well.