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The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recently issued an urgent cybersecurity advisory that highlights a critical vulnerability associated with Windows 11 version 24H2, specifically linked to the use of outdated installation media such as old DVDs and USB drives. This advisory follows Microsoft’s warning about a grave flaw that affects systems installed or upgraded using installation media created before December 2024. The implication is severe: devices installed this way might...

The article discusses a significant dispute between Microsoft, AWS, Google, and the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) regarding Microsoft's software licensing practices for cloud services in the UK. The core issue is that Microsoft charges AWS and Google up to four times more to license its software (such as Windows Server) on their cloud platforms compared to its own Azure cloud. AWS and Google argue that this creates an unfair disadvantage and harms competition. The CMA...

Microsoft has begun the public rollout of its AI-powered "Recall" feature as part of the Windows 11 Copilot+ experience, after a long and rocky development process marked by privacy concerns and multiple delays. Recall is an ambitious new productivity tool designed as a "photographic memory" for your PC. It takes deeply searchable screenshots—referred to as snapshots—of your activity across applications and the operating system itself, enabling users to retrace their digital workflows...

Windows Server 2025 has encountered a significant and disruptive issue linked to the handling of firewall profiles upon system reboot, leading to operational and security complications for domain controllers within Active Directory (AD) environments. The core of the problem lies in how these servers default to the wrong firewall profile after a restart, specifically loading the standard (public) firewall profile instead of the expected domain profile. This misconfiguration triggers a cascade...

The creation of the inetpub folder on Windows systems by the April 2025 cumulative update has sparked significant discussion in the Windows community for its dual role as a security measure and a potential vulnerability. Historically, the "C:\inetpub" directory is tied to Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS), a web server framework, and is usually only present on machines running IIS. However, starting with Windows 11 and Windows 10 updates in April 2025, every system now includes...

The sudden appearance of an empty "inetpub" folder on Windows 11 systems following the April 2025 update has sparked confusion and concern among users and IT administrators alike. This seemingly innocuous directory, traditionally associated with Microsoft's Internet Information Services (IIS), is now a deliberate and critical component of a new security strategy in Windows 11 designed to address a serious local vulnerability. The Security Context Behind the Inetpub Folder The April 2025...

Microsoft's latest optional cumulative preview update for Windows 11 version 24H2, KB5055627, delivers an impressive suite of over 30 changes and fixes aimed at enhancing both productivity and system stability. This update, released as part of Microsoft's monthly non-security update cycle, functions as a testing ground for features and bug fixes before they reach the broader Patch Tuesday releases, offering users—especially IT professionals and enthusiasts—a chance to explore forthcoming...

Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 26200.5570, recently released to the Dev Channel, marks a subtle yet significant evolution in the way Microsoft approaches user agency, accessibility, and productivity. This update is not just a routine feature roll-out; it signals a philosophical shift toward empowering users to customize their digital experiences, with the new profanity filter toggle for voice typing as the flagship feature setting the tone. Voice Typing Evolves: From Censorship to Choice...

Microsoft's recent decision to extend support for Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) beyond its originally scheduled April 18, 2025, end date reflects both the ongoing reliance on WSUS in certain enterprise environments and the challenges Microsoft faces in transitioning its customers to cloud-based update management solutions. This unexpected extension underscores critical considerations in enterprise patch management strategy, especially for organizations with air-gapped or disconnected...

Microsoft has introduced a significant update to Windows 11's voice typing feature, allowing users to disable the profanity filter and choose whether explicit language is censored or transcribed verbatim. This new toggle, currently being tested in the Windows Insider Dev and Beta Channels, marks a notable shift in user autonomy and reflects broader trends toward customization and authenticity in digital communication. Evolution of Windows Voice Typing and the Profanity Filter For years...

Windows has long been celebrated not only for its versatility but also for the charming, iconic games that have come bundled with it—Minesweeper, Solitaire, Hearts, FreeCell, and Spider Solitaire, among others. These games weren’t just simple diversions; for many users, they were foundational experiences in learning mouse control, strategic thinking, and a bit of mental respite amid work. Yet starting with Windows 8 in 2012, Microsoft removed these classic games from the default...

Microsoft's ambitious integration of AI capabilities into its Windows platform, epitomized by the Copilot AI service, has stirred significant discussion within the technology community. While Copilot promises to enhance productivity through AI assistance directly in tools like Visual Studio Code (VS Code), Microsoft 365 apps, and Windows 11, recent user experiences and reports highlight an uneasy balance between innovation, privacy, user control, and security risks. This evolving scenario...

Microsoft has officially launched the "Recall" feature for Windows 11, almost a year after its initial announcement. The feature is currently available only on Copilot+ PCs, which are a special category of Windows 11 systems sold over the last year equipped with advanced AI processors like Qualcomm Snapdragon or others. Recall works by continuously capturing screenshots of everything the user does on their PC, creating a searchable timeline of past activities. This allows users to easily...

Windows Server 2022 environments running Remote Desktop Services (RDS) combined with VMware Horizon (now branded as Omnissa) are experiencing a perplexing DPI scaling issue that undermines user experience and productivity. In this scenario, users connecting via either standard RDP or VMware Horizon report that the display scaling appears dramatically off—elements on the screen look either excessively large or unacceptably small, regardless of the client resolution settings. This distortion...

Switching to the cloud represents a major shift for enterprises entrenched in Microsoft infrastructure, yet the pathway is fraught with complex licensing and technical challenges that make departing from Redmond’s ecosystem far from straightforward. Recent submissions by Amazon and Google to the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) highlight a critical market dynamic: enterprises heavily invested in Windows Server and SQL Server face prohibitive costs and arduous migrations if they...

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) recently issued a cybersecurity advisory warning users about a critical vulnerability in Microsoft's Windows 11 version 24H2. This vulnerability specifically impacts systems installed or updated using outdated physical media, such as DVDs or USB drives, created before December 2024. Devices installed or updated through online services like Windows Update or the Microsoft Update Catalog are unaffected. The security flaw causes systems installed...

Microsoft's legacy Outlook client has recently encountered a significant and widely disruptive bug that causes severe CPU usage spikes during routine email typing. Starting with user reports in late 2024 and confirmed by Microsoft in early 2025, this issue sees the classic Outlook app suddenly consuming up to 30% to 50% of CPU resources, turning normally light email composition into a system-resource-heavy ordeal. This unexpected behavior leads to increased power consumption, overheating...

Windows Server 2025, the latest iteration of Microsoft's server operating system, has recently encountered a serious stability problem that has caught the attention of IT administrators worldwide. Following the release of the February 2025 security update, identified as KB5051987, many users have reported that Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) sessions freeze shortly after connection. This freezing results in the mouse and keyboard inputs becoming non-responsive, forcing users to disconnect and...

Microsoft’s much-discussed AI-driven Copilot+ Recall feature is now officially rolling out to Windows 11 users, after a long saga marked by privacy concerns, technical setbacks, and repeated delays. This highly ambitious AI feature aims to act as a "photographic memory" for your PC usage, capturing deep, searchable snapshots of your activity across applications and the system. While the promise is a fundamentally smarter way to retrieve lost or forgotten content by using natural language...

Microsoft’s recent update cycle for Windows 11 24H2 has become emblematic of the complex balancing act tech giants face when pushing software enhancements to a diverse ecosystem of devices and users. With the rollout of the cumulative April update KB5055523 and the March preview update KB5053656, users have reported a surge of critical issues, prominently including blue screen crashes (BSODs) tied to a SECURE_KERNEL_ERROR (0x18B). These problems have quickly cast a spotlight on the...