Tag Archives: Windows 11

Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Microsoft Really Wants People To Use Their Edge Browser

It’s no real secret that Microsoft has never been a big fan of Chrome, FireFox, or any other web browser that it didn’t build.  The company clearly hasn’t gotten over the fact that it lost the browser wars and lost them handily. That’s why it keeps trying periodically to reinvent the wheel offering up new and improved versions first of its “Internet Explorer” browser and more recently of Microsoft Edge.

The latest incarnation of Edge is interesting in that it was built around Chromium. That means under the hood the new Edge and Google’s Chrome browser sport the same basic technology.

Unfortunately, even that hasn’t been enough to keep users from downloading Chrome. Naturally Microsoft wants to do anything that it can in a bid to keep users browsing via the browser that ships with Windows. The company has begun bombarding users with messages when they try to download Google Chrome.

There are a few different prompts a user may see including:

  • “‘I hate saving money,’ said no one ever. Microsoft Edge is the best browser for online shopping.”
  • “That browser is so 2008! Do you know what’s new?  Microsoft Edge.”
  • “Microsoft Edge runs on the same technology as Chrome, with the added trust of Microsoft.”

The new prompts are appearing mostly for Windows 11 users though some Windows 10 users have reported them as well. They aren’t part of any website but rather are generated from inside Microsoft Edge as a kind of “defense mechanism” to guard against being replaced.

This kind of thing verges on being dirty pool and although Google hasn’t issued any kind of formal response you can bet that one will be coming. Google isn’t the kind of company that will take a direct threat to its browser dominance lying down so the months ahead should be interesting indeed.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Blue Screen On Windows 11 Could Be Audio Driver Issue

Sometimes the development process is smooth and sometimes it’s not so smooth. Right now Windows 11’s development is falling into that latter category. Recently Windows Engineers announced a serious issue plaguing the OS.

The culprit was compatibility between the new OS version 21H2 and Intel’s SST (Smart Sound Technology) drivers.

SST is a big deal for Intel. It is an integrated audio Digital Signal Processor (DSP) that was designed to work with the latest Intel Core and Intel Atom processors to handle speech voice and audio interactions.

According to an update on the Windows Health Dashboard:

“The affected driver will be named Intel® Smart Sound Technology (Intel® SST) Audio Controller under System Devices in Device Manager and have the file name IntcAudioBus.sys and a file version of 10.29.0.5152 and earlier or 10.30.0.5152 and earlier.”

The compatible issues are serious enough that they are causing the dreaded BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) errors when they occur. Microsoft has added a compatibility hold to block systems with impacted Intel SST audio drivers from being offered the Windows 11 upgrade (the safeguard ID is 36899911).

The company advises against manually updating Windows 11 but there may be a workaround for some users.

Again per Microsoft:

“To mitigate the safeguard, you will need to check with your device manufacturer (OEM) to see if an updated driver is available and install it. This issue is resolved by updating the Intel® Smart Sound Technology drivers to a version 10.30.00.5714 and later or 10.29.00.5714 and later.

Once you have updated to a compatible version of the Intel® Smart Sound Technology drivers you should be able to upgrade to Windows 11.”

This is par for the course when building new software so events like these should take no one by surprise. Just watch for updates if you’re one of the impacted users. It won’t be long before you’re back to trying out Microsoft’s latest OS offering.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Installing Windows 11 On Unsupported Devices May Have Security Risks

Microsoft raised hackles worldwide when they placed stringent hardware requirements on their recently announced Windows 11 OS. Many chipsets that are more than capable of running the new software aren’t on the list. That doesn’t mean that you can’t still install Windows 11 on a machine with unapproved hardware. However Microsoft has stuck to its guns here.

They announced that although users may take that approach, unsupported devices won’t receive automatic updates and security patches. That’s harsh and it may well be sufficient to keep most people from installing Windows 11 on hardware that Microsoft does not approve of.

The specific reason that so many people are up in arms about Microsoft’s position is that a large swath of the user base will have to invest in new hardware. That is if they want to take advantage of new Windows 11 capabilities.

It’s good that Microsoft has built a loophole into the system but running an unsupported copy of Windows 11 carries enormous risks. If anybody does it’s likely to be seen as a very short term solution. Few individuals and even fewer companies would want the risk of exposure that comes with having an unsupported copy.

It is not yet known whether or not Microsoft will allow users with unsupported hardware to install those updates manually. That makes it even worse. If they don’t, it amounts to the kiss of death for unsupported hardware.

Nothing is set in stone and it’s still technically possible that Microsoft could reverse course and soften their stance. This seems unlikely though. If we get very lucky users may still be able to manually install updates. Stay tuned for the final word from Microsoft on that front. Whether you agree with the decision or not the company seems to have firmly made up its mind.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Hackers Are Using Windows 11 Curiosity To Load Malware

Millions of people around the world are understandably curious about Windows 11. It’s easy to understand why. A new OS offered by the company that makes the most widely OS used on the planet is a big deal.

Unfortunately hackers are well aware of this and are currently using that curiosity as a means of spreading malicious software to unsuspecting victims.

Security researchers have found evidence suggesting that the notorious “FIN7” cyber gang is responsible for the latest campaign which started in late June of this year (2021). That coincided with Microsoft’s early announcements about the release of Windows 11.

The current campaign seems to have concluded in late July. All expectations are that a new campaign will begin the next time Microsoft makes another major announcement about their new OS.

The hacking group used tried and true social engineering tactics creating a poisoned Word document filled with Windows 11 logos and imagery to pique a reader’s curiosity. If this poisoned document is opened readers will get a message saying that the advanced features of the document cannot be accessed unless macros are enabled. Naturally if the reader opts to enable macros this is the mechanism by which the malware payload is delivered.

It’s a vicious campaign designed to prey on people’s natural curiosity about something that’s almost certain to have a significant impact on them. Given that we can expect to see more of these types of campaigns as Microsoft moves closer to the Windows 11 launch date.

If you get an email (regardless of who it is from) and that message asks you to download something or enable macros, just say no. Few if any reputable companies require such things to view their content and these are almost always signs that someone is trying to scam or hack you.

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Posted on Author Atlantic Computer Services Categories Blog

Microsoft Windows 11 Finally Has A Release Date

Are you excited at the prospect of Windows 11? If so then you will be pleased to know that Microsoft’s latest OS now has an official release date. That date you’re looking for is October 5th, 2021.

Microsoft had this to say about the release date in a recent blog post:

“The free upgrade to Windows 11 starts on October 5 and will be phased and measured with a focus on quality. Following the tremendous learnings from Windows 10, we want to make sure we’re providing you with the best possible experience. That means new eligible devices will be offered the upgrade first.”

If you’re a Windows 10 user and you meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11 you’ll be able to download the new OS and install immediately as of the date mentioned above. Users with older OS’s will need to perform a clean installation via a bootable USB drive and an ISO to complete the installation.

Windows 11 is packed with new features and sports a long overdue UI overhaul. Microsoft’s stringent hardware requirements are angering broad swaths of the company’s user base. Many CPU’s that are perfectly capable of running Windows 11 are simply incompatible with it. That means if you have a top of the line computer that can run Windows 10 without a hitch you may not be able to use Windows 11 at all.

While Microsoft hasn’t backed away from those requirements the company has announced that it will continue to support Windows 10 through 2025. That gives Windows 10 users plenty of time to retire their existing equipment and still get a free upgrade to Windows 11 which is good news indeed.

One way or the other though the future is Windows 11. It ultimately comes down to whether you embrace the future now or a bit later on but either way it’s coming.

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