windows

Microsoft has withdrawn a deadline that would have blocked retailers from selling new Windows 7 computers. But it's sticking to another key deadline: that ending support for the Windows XP operating system (OS). Last week Microsoft posted a note on ... its website saying that computer manufacturers would no longer be able to ship computers running Windows 7 after October 2014. The statement is consistent with previous release schedules for Windows. In the past, retail copies of earlier editions of the OS (like Vista) were sold for one year after a new system was released. Meanwhile, OEMs (or ... (view more)

Microsoft will be issuing Patch Tuesday fixes for several "critical" security problems today. Unfortunately, the firm says the list of fixes doesn't include a patch for a recently reported zero-day flaw affecting Windows and the Microsoft Office ... software suite. The November 2013 Patch Tuesday lineup includes a total of eight bulletins, three of which are marked "critical" -- Microsoft's highest security rating. These flaws involve serious security issues affecting some of Microsoft's most popular products, including the Windows operating system and Internet Explorer, the firm's web browser. ... (view more)

Microsoft has warned users of its software to beware bogus file attachments. The firm says a newly discovered vulnerability in Windows Vista and the Office software suite could allow hackers remote access to a victim's computer. The flaw affects the ... Windows Vista and Server 2008 operating systems. It also affects Microsoft Office 2003, 2007, and 2010, plus Microsoft Lync, a communications package. Later editions of Windows, such as Windows 7 and Windows 8, are unaffected. The problem does not affect Windows XP, either. The problem involves the way the affected software handles image files in ... (view more)

So far, the newest version of Microsoft's Internet Explorer web browser, Internet Explorer 11, has been anything but stable. That's why Microsoft has now released a "reliability" update ahead of the next Patch Tuesday. Internet Explorer 11 (IE11) ... was released on October 17, 2013. New features include the ability to load up to one hundred tabs at once, side-by-side browsing, and a Reading View tool. However, in the week-and-a-half since its release, the new version of Microsoft's browser has faced its fair share of performance issues. (Source: maximumpc.com ) Google Pages Fail to Rend Properly ... (view more)

Windows 8.1 is the first set of revisions for Microsoft's Windows 8 operating system. It's available as of this morning -- Friday, October 18, 2013. So, what do you need to know about this significant new update? Here, we'll answer some of the ... questions we've received from our readers in recent weeks. Question: Is Windows 8.1 the same as a service pack? Answer: No. A service pack is a single download that contains all updates, bug fixes, and security patches to date in one package. Normally it's at least a year before Microsoft releases a service pack for a new edition of Windows. Question: ... (view more)

Daphne 1.54 This small system tray application allows you to control, debug, and -- if necessary -- kill processes running in the Windows operating system. It's a handy alternative to the Windows task manager that allows you to quickly and easily ... terminate a process. http://www.drk.com Windows Firewall Control 4.0.2.4 This handy little application extends the functionality of Microsoft's Windows Firewall. It gives you quicker access to Windows Firewall's most popular options. It runs in the system tray, making it quick and easy to access from the desktop. http://www.binisoft.org/ This ... (view more)

If you've got the skills, it can certainly pay to be a security researcher. One expert recently earned more than $100,000 after discovering a major security flaw in Microsoft's Windows 8.1 operating system. The award is part of Microsoft's "bug ... bounty" program, which the Redmond, Washington-based firm unveiled earlier this year. Google and Mozilla also employ similar programs , which allow major tech firms to save money by effectively outsourcing their security tasks to independent experts. "Mitigation Bypass Bounty" Includes $100,000 Prize The $100,000 award is part of Microsoft's ... (view more)

This month's Patch Tuesday brings two major fixes for Internet Explorer zero-day flaws. In total, Microsoft has released eight new security bulletins, four of which have been marked 'critical' -- Microsoft's highest security rating. Experts point to ... MS13-080 as the most important security update this month. It address ten different vulnerabilities in Microsoft's Internet Explorer (IE) and applies to every supported version of the web browser. Aside from the number of vulnerabilities addressed, the update is considered important because it's designed to eliminate two zero-day flaws that have ... (view more)

Microsoft's Bill Gates has admitted that requiring users to enter Control-Alt-Delete in order to end a process was a mistake. Speaking before a crowd at a Harvard fundraising function, Gates subtly blamed IBM. Gates says the initial thinking behind ... Control-Alt-Delete was that it would allow users to bypass applications and immediately interact with the computer's operating system. However, he admitted that there was probably an easier way of achieving that. IBM Denies Single Button Option "We could have had a single button, but the guy who did the IBM keyboard design didn't want to give us ... (view more)

Microsoft is planning to release boxed copies of Windows 8.1, thereby saving new buyers from having to download the first big update to the Windows 8 operating system (OS). However, the boxed version's pricing and installation process may make it ... both confusing and unattractive for many consumers. The boxed edition of Windows 8.1 is being aimed at people who don't already own Windows 8 or any previous version of Windows. If you do have Windows 8 installed, you'll be able to download the update free of charge from the online Windows Store on October 18, 2013. The boxed version is seen as a ... (view more)