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#11
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4880 (Beta Channel)

Note: This build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[General]
  • This update includes a small set of general improvements and fixes that improve the overall experience for Insiders running this build on their PCs.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[Settings]
  • Fixed the issue causing the Home page of Settings to crash for some Insiders.
#12
Security Alerts & Briefings / Pale Moon Version 33.6.0 Relea...
Last post by Corrine - February 07, 2025, 02:18:16 PM
Pale Moon has been updated to version 33.6.0. This is a development, bugfix and security update.

From the Release Notes:

Quote"Due to the fact that CloudFlare has been causing application crashes that impacts many users, this release has been pulled forward a few days to address these crashes with priority (should be fixed in this release).

Please note that at the time of publication of this browser version and release notes, even though crashes have been fixed, CloudFlare is denying UXP-based browsers as well as several other independent/smaller browsers access to many websites by way of their malfunctioning "security check" or captcha, with no priority given to actually fix it despite it being denial of service for users of affected browsers. Please consider reporting any and all occurrences of a failing or looping CloudFlare checks on websites to CloudFlare as well as the owners of affected websites (you may have to temporarily use a Chromium-based browser to do this)."

Changes/fixes:

  • Implemented a content sniffer for ADTS and raw AAC audio.
  • Implemented AbortSignal.abort() and stub AbortSignal.timeout().
  • Unprefixed the :modal CSS pseudo-class and exposed it to content.
  • Improved efficiency and performance of the Cycle Collector.
  • Added a check for explicit expectance of a percentage value in CSS HSL for the S and L components.
  • Updated the cookie storage database to no longer use BaseDomain. See implementation notes.
  • Updated CSS grid handling to no longer apply auto min-sizing when flex max-sizing (browser parity).
  • Updated the root certificates in the internal trust store.
  • Updated the Public Suffix List (eTLD) in the browser.
  • Removed no longer specced URL Constructor(DOMString url, URL base).
  • Restored unofficial branding to what it was before ("New Moon" instead of "Browser").
  • Changed the default Firefox Compatibility user-agent version to 115.0.
  • Fixed an issue where cloned <audio> or <video> elements would not respect the original element's muted state.
  • Fixed a number of bugs and spec compliance issues in WebCrypto.
  • Fixed installer application naming issue causing failure to detect running application.
  • Fixed a crash when Interval handlers are present in scripts that are automatically terminated due to excessive runtime.
  • Fixed a crash in JS Structured Cloning when the input would be bogus (CloudFlare-triggered crash).
  • Fixed a crash in the XSLT stylesheet importing code.
  • Updated NSS to 3.90.6 (custom) to pick up several security fixes.
  • Security issues addressed: CVE-2025-1009.

Implementation notes:

When updating the browser to this version, a one-way upgrade of the cookie database in your browser profile is performed on first start. The new cookie database is not backwards compatible, meaning you cannot use the browser profiles that have been upgraded by this version or later with any prior versions of the browser without data loss.

This is generally the case as most upgrades of user data storage are one-way, but having all your cookies cleared unintentionally is something most people prefer to avoid, hence this warning and a general reminder of profile migrations to newer versions that may happen with any (non-minor) browser upgrade.

Notes: *DiD This means that a fix is "Defense-in-Depth": It is a fix that does not apply to a (potentially) actively exploitable vulnerability in Pale Moon, but prevents future vulnerabilities caused by the same code, e.g. when surrounding code changes, exposing the problem, or when new attack vectors are discovered.
Pale Moon includes both 32- and 64-bit versions for Windows: Pale Moon for Windows downloads.

Update:
To get the update now, select "Help" from the Pale Moon menu at the upper left of the browser window. Select About Pale Moon > Check for Updates.

Release Notes
#13
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 27788 (Canary Channel)

What's new with Build 27788

Windows MIDI Services Public Preview
We're excited to release the first in-box public preview of Windows MIDI Services, our complete rewrite of MIDI on Windows with a focus on a great experience for musicians and a strong foundation for future expansion and enhancement.

MIDI is the standard, first released in 1983, that is used to synchronize synthesizers and drum machines in almost all modern electronic music. It's used to record and play back note information, control stage lights and effects, keep mixers in a large venue in sync, and so much more. Although it is not itself audio, the MIDI protocol is essential to making music and was heavily used in the rise of hip-hop and other genres. MIDI 2.0 is the first major update to the core MIDI protocol since 1983, offering everything that modern musicians need today, like increased speed and fidelity, better control of instruments, modern bi-directional conversations and negotiation between instruments, discovery, better USB timing, and more.

Windows MIDI Services is our new MIDI stack which handles not only MIDI 2.0 but also brings our MIDI 1.0 implementation up to modern expectations. It works on 64-bit operating systems on all supported processors, including Arm64. Windows MIDI Services offers the following benefits:

  • Full support of the MIDI 2.0 Standard, including high-speed data transmission, higher-fidelity messages, increased resolution for controller values, and full in-service MIDI 2.0 endpoint discovery and protocol negotiation.
  • Faster transports, leading to better timing and reduced jitter.
  • Faster USB MIDI driver with full support for both MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0.
  • Every endpoint is now multi-client, meaning multiple apps can use a device at the same time.
  • Better endpoint and port
  • In-service scheduling of outgoing timestamped messages, and timestamped incoming messages, for apps using the new Windows MIDI Services App SDK.
  • Built-in loopback and app-to-app MIDI
  • Automatic translation between MIDI 1.0 and MIDI 2.0 based on API, application, and device needs.
  • Much more device metadata available to applications.
  • Better device add/update/remove notifications.
  • Backwards compatibility with our WinMM (MME) MIDI 1.0 API (and WinRT MIDI 1.0 in the future) enabling applications to light up with new features without any changes, and even access MIDI 2.0 devices at a MIDI 1.0 feature level.
  • Open source. The MIDI Service, all its transports, all the tools, the tests, and the SDK are all MIT-licensed open source, and have been developed in concert with hardware and software partners around the world.
New USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver: The new USB MIDI 2.0 Class Driver, graciously provided to Microsoft by AMEI (Association of Musical Electronics Industry of Japan) and written by AmeNote, is a high-speed USB MIDI driver which works with both the new USB MIDI 2.0 devices, as well as with class-compliant USB MIDI 1.0 devices. By default, for compatibility, this is enabled only for USB MIDI 2.0 devices and a handful of USB MIDI 1.0 devices. However, you may manually assign this driver to any class-compliant USB MIDI 1.0 device yourself to gain the better transfer mechanisms. We also have several built-in transports for things that were not previously available without third-party drivers. Learn more about the built-in transports here.

Windows MIDI Services App SDK and Tools: Applications using Windows MIDI Services do so through the Windows MIDI Services App SDK, shipped out-of-band. Current preview releases are available on our GitHub repo releases page. Please note that these are unsigned releases and so will give you a warning when you download and install. In addition to installing the required runtime components, the SDK runtime installer includes these tools:

  • Windows MIDI Services Console (midi.exe): The all-around console tool for sending messages, checking the state of MIDI, monitoring incoming messages, sending System Exclusive, and much more.
  • MIDI Diagnostics (mididiag.exe): A tech support tool which provides information about the state of MIDI on the PC.
  • MIDI Kernel Streaming Endpoint Info (midiksinfo.exe): A hardware developer-focused tool which provides information about the KS (Kernel Streaming) endpoints.
  • MIDI multicast dynamic DNS Info (midimdnsinfo.exe): A tool to support the upcoming Network MIDI 2.0 transport.

The Windows MIDI Services App SDK also includes the MIDI Settings app – a desktop application for managing endpoints, renaming endpoints and ports, creating loopback devices, managing your network MIDI 2.0 connections, and more.

In addition, we're currently working on our Network MIDI 2.0 transport, recently demonstrated at the NAMM Show in California, the virtual patch-bay to enable routing between endpoints, and a rewrite of our BLE MIDI 1.0 transport. This will all ship in a future version of Windows MIDI Services.

We look forward to having Windows Insiders who dabble in music creation try out the Windows MIDI Services Public Preview and MIDI 2.0. Try out using existing applications that use the WinMM MIDI 1.0 function with the new Windows MIDI Services installed. Additionally, any MIDI 1.0 devices with specific IHV drivers. You can also join the discussion here on Discord if you have questions or are looking to help! You will find a list of known issues documented here.

Ability to seamlessly resume OneDrive files in 1-click from your phone to PC
We are gradually rolling out the ability to seamlessly resume working on OneDrive files from your phone (iOS and Android) on your Windows 11 PC with a single click. With this feature, you will get a notification asking you if you want to pick up where you left off editing a OneDrive file like a Word doc that you last viewed or edited on your phone within a 5-minute time window preceding unlocking your PC.

Upon clicking on this notification, the same file that you were viewing or editing previously on your phone will open in your default browser on your PC.

Here are some important details about how this feature works:
  • This feature works only when signing into OneDrive with a Microsoft account. Work and school accounts are not supported. And you need to be using the same Microsoft account signing into OneDrive on your phone and signing into your Windows 11 PC.
  • This feature supports Word docs, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, OneNote notebooks/pages, and PDFs.
  • The OneDrive file must be opened on your phone when your PC is locked. If you then unlock your PC within 5 minutes of accessing the file on your phone, you will receive the resume notification as noted above.
  • For the best experience using this feature, you should be logged into OneDrive in your default browser on your PC.
This feature can be managed and turned off via Settings > Apps > Resume.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Devices and Drivers -> Linked Phone.

Changes and Improvements

[File Explorer]
  • When "Restore previous folder windows at logon" is enabled in File Explorer, we will also now restore all the extra tabs which you previously had open in each File Explorer window. As part of this work, we have also updated the logic for the "Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in" setting via Settings > Accounts > Sign in options, so that when you enable this, we will automatically enable the File Explorer specific setting for you too.
  • We're adding a new option to snooze or turn off the "Start backup" reminder in the File Explorer address bar, for those that aren't already backing up their Documents, Pictures, or Desktop folders. This option is available when you right-click "Start backup".
[Settings]
  • We are starting to roll out the Settings homepage for commercial customers on PCs managed by an IT administrator. The feature will show some existing cards relevant to enterprise-managed PCs like "Recommended settings" and "Bluetooth devices" as well as two new enterprise-specific device info and accessibility preferences cards. For commercial customers who also use their Microsoft account on their managed PC, there will also be a new accounts card indicating the presence of both work and school and Microsoft account types. We are starting the rollout of this gradually with managed commercial PCs who have both work and school, and Microsoft accounts presently seeing this experience first.

Fixes

[General]
  • Fixed an issue in Build 27783 which was causing multiple surfaces (including the taskbar, search, Settings, and lock screen) to cyclically crash for a small number of Insiders.
[Other]
  • Fixed an issue which was causing some Insiders to have a SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION bugcheck in Build 27783.
  • Fixed an issue where the description for virtual NICs wasn't displayed correctly in ncpa.cpl, it showed garbled characters.
  • Fixed an underlying issue which could cause scanning apps to not detect a scanner, although one was connected.
  • Improved the colors used in MMC when items are selected, both generally, and when contrast modes are enabled.
#14
Mozilla sent Firefox Version 135.0 to the release channel.  Firefox ESR was updated to Version 128.7.0. 

The update includes eleven security updates of which four (4) are rated high, five (5) are rated moderate and two (2) are rated low. The security updates can be reviewed here.

New features include additional languages supported as well as a number of features that are being progressively rolled out.  Changes include a refreshed New Tab layout, the removal of the "Do Not Track" box from preferences and more.  To review the new features, changes and fixes, see the Release Notes.

Update:  To get the update now, select "Help" from the Firefox menu and pick "About Firefox".  Mac users need to select "About Firefox" from the Firefox menu.  If you do not use the English language version, Fully Localized Versions are available for download.

Rapid Release Calendar
#15
Announcing Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22635.4870 (Beta Channel)

Please note this build will only be provided to Windows Insiders in the Beta Channel who did not upgrade to receiving updates based on Windows 11, version 24H2.

New features gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

Choose what Lock screen widgets appear
We're beginning to roll out support for lock screen widgets (previously referred to as "Weather and more") to Windows Insiders in the European Economic Area (EEA). You can add, remove, and rearrange lock screen widgets such as Weather, Watchlist, Sports, Traffic, and more. Any widget that supports the small sizing option can be added here. To customize your lock screen widgets, navigate to Settings >  Personalization > Lock screen. We are starting this rollout first with Insiders in the EEA and plan to expand to Insiders in other regions in the future. Insiders outside the EEA will continue to see the "Weather and more" experience.

As part of this, we're also adding support for a new group policy called "Disable Widgets On Lock Screen" that will allow IT administrators to disable lock screen widgets without disabling widgets elsewhere on PCs they manage. To edit this policy, please launch the Local Group Policy Editor app and navigate to Computer Configurations > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Widgets. This policy is only supported in EEA regions at this time but will expand to include other regions in the future as well.

FEEDBACK: Please file feedback in Feedback Hub (WIN + F) under Desktop Environment > Lock screen.

Changes and Improvements gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[File Explorer]
  • For Windows Insiders signed in with a work or school account (Entra ID), File Explorer will begin showing people icons under the "Activity" column on File Explorer Home and on "Recommended" at the top of File Explorer Home. When you hover or click over a people icon, it will display the Live Persona Card for that person from Microsoft 365.

Fixes gradually being rolled out to the Beta Channel with toggle on

[Start menu]
  • Fixed an issue causing Start menu to crash for some Insiders when interacting with the letters in the apps list.
  • Fixed an issue where the colors were not correct when opening the account manager flyout on the when using a mixed dark and light custom mode in Settings > Personalization > Colors.
[File Explorer]
  • Fixed an issue where if you opened a File Explorer window and minimized it, it might not be rendered correctly when you restored it.
  • Fixed an issue which was impacting File Explorer reliability for some Insiders.
  • Fixed an issue which was causing explorer.exe to crash when dropping files into File Explorer sometimes in the latest flights.
[Other]
  • Fixed a high hitting background sihost.exe crash in the latest flights.

Fixes for everyone in the Beta Channel

[Other]
This update includes fixes for the following issues:
  • [USB cameras] Fixed: Your device does not recognize the camera is on. This issue occurs after you install the January 2025 security update.
  • [USB audio device drivers] Fixed: The code 10 error message, "This device cannot start" appears. This occurs when you connect to certain external audio management devices.
#16
Dev Channel update to 134.0.3096.1 is live

Stand up to scareware with scareware blocker, now available in preview in Microsoft Edge - Microsoft Edge Blog

Added Features:
  • Added a 'Restart Now' button to the Browser Essentials.
  • Added the 'Create new workspace' option to the tab actions menu (TAM) button in the title bar.
Improved Behavior:
  • Resolved an issue where browser would crash when opening the rewards page on two identical browser windows simultaneously in Split View or Slide Over mode.
  • Resolved an issue where the browser would crash when moving a favorite to the last position on the Favorites Bar using the keyboard.
Changed Behavior:
  • Fixed an issue where the focus order in the Split Button within Tab center was incorrect.
  • Fixed an issue where no options were available under 'Set what the home button opens below' in the Start, Home, and New Tab pages.
  • Resolved an issue where the Internet Explorer mode icon in Settings differed from the icon in the toolbar within the Settings WebUI2.
  • Resolved an issue where the role of the 'Share link' button should be read as a button, not a group, in workspaces.
  • Resolved an issue where; after switching the settings page, the startup could not display the changed settings in the Start, Home, and New Tab pages.
  • Resolved an issue where the Hide/Show title bar feature was not functioning in the tab center.
  • Resolved an issue by reducing the minimum size of the Game Assist widget.
  • Resolved an issue where matches in the header description were highlighted initially but lost their highlight after scrolling down in search mode in settings webui2.
  • Resolved an issue where the keyboard focus order was incorrect after invoking the 'Go back to tracking prevention page' button on the 'Blocked trackers' page in edge://settings/profiles.
  • Resolved an issue where the Copilot icon should be used in the grab bar in Copilot vision.
  • Resolved an issue when clicking the 'Clear browsing data for Internet Explorer mode' or 'sign out first' link from the Delete browsing data dialog in Privacy, search, and services opened a blank settings page.
  • Resolved an issue where the transient mode in Tab center was made persistent.
#17
Web News / Re: DSLReports
Last post by xrobwx71 - February 03, 2025, 12:55:49 PM
I don't understand why anyone hates another when they don't know that person and that person has never done anything to them.
#18
Web News / Re: DSLReports
Last post by Boz - February 02, 2025, 04:11:34 PM
I still posted there occasionally.  I hope it will at least come back as read only, if it can't return to fully functioning.

I'm not sure why their hatred for Musk needs to be posted on the site...
#19
Web News / Re: DSLReports
Last post by NICK ADSL UK - February 02, 2025, 01:56:47 PM
My gut feeling is that it will be back online soon, as the message on the front page is positive.
QuoteThe full site corpus is only available (in read-only form) for 5 minutes past each hour, for members and guests.
For full site access, for example data
takeout or instant messages, members can
return for the first 5 minutes of any
hour.

This may change at any time.



#20
Adobe is releasing an optional hotfix patch for Acrobat and Acrobat Reader that addresses some important bug fixes.

Update or Complete Download

Adobe Acrobat and Reader were updated to version 24.005.20399.  Updates should become available via the internal updater or checks can be manually activated by choosing Help/Check for Updates. 

Reader DC and other versions are available here: https://get.adobe.com/reader/

Note: UNcheck any pre-checked additional options presented with the update. They are not part of the software update and are completely optional.

Release Notes