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The New Start Menu Is a Perfect Example of Microsoft Forcing Unwanted “Features” on Users
I’m posting this because I’m beyond fed up with the direction Microsoft is taking with Windows, and the latest Start Menu redesign is really unwelcomed. Whoever decided to implement the new “All” section with forced Categories, Grid/List views, and a permanently attached app list seems to have completely forgotten something fundamental: this is my Start Menu, not theirs. I’ve already turned off every bit of clutter I can — Recommended, recent files, “suggestions,” all of it. Yet Windows still insists on injecting an enormous block of UI I never asked for and will never use. I don’t care whether it’s Categories, List, or Grid. I don’t want any of it. I want the Start menu to show ONLY the pinned items I chose, nothing else, the same way it worked for years. But now? Microsoft has deliberately removed the ability to collapse, hide, disable, or eliminate this lower “All” section entirely. It wastes space, disrupts workflow muscle memory, and provides zero value for users who already know exactly what they need. It’s an unwanted visual and functional takeover of the one UI element that should be the most personal and customizable. This is exactly the type of “change for the sake of change” that pushes long‑time Windows users away. It feels like decisions are being made by people who never actually use Windows for real work, and who believe their design experiments matter more than respecting users’ preferences. I’m tired of being forced into UI experiments I never opted into. I’m tired of updates that remove more choice than they add. And I’m tired of Microsoft ignoring the most universal feedback users keep giving: Stop shoving new UI elements in our faces and give us back full control over our own operating system. If Microsoft wants people to stay enthusiastic about Windows instead of increasingly frustrated with every forced redesign, then we need true user‑controlled customization — not “pick between three unwanted layouts,” not “view modes,” not scripts, not policies, not third‑party hacks. Just a simple, basic ability to hide what we don’t want. Give us the Start Menu we choose, not the Start Menu you decide we should have.
Unable to Access Windows Hardware Developer Center
Dear Microsoft Tech Community, I am reaching out for help figuring out how to access the Windows Hardware Developer Center in 2026. I have been trying to reach out for help from Microsoft through every available channel and have not made any progress towards resolution over the last 3 months (starting October 2025). We have a new hardware device (PCIe card) for which we need to submit drivers for Microsoft certification. We have been enrolled in the program and have successfully submitted drivers and had them approved and signed by Microsoft in the past (most recently in March, 2022). As far as I can tell, the previous entry point or portal for submitting hardware drivers was removed and/or integrated into the Microsoft Partner Center. However, we currently cannot see or access anything related to the Hardware Developer Center within the Partner Center UI. In the Partner Center, we are shown as a "Verified" developer (under Legal Info). If I try to go through the process to enroll in the "Hardware Program", the screen shows that we are already in the program with a message "Our records indicate that you have already enrolled into this program but your program registration is deactivated." Attempts to get support from Microsoft have resulted in deferral to an appeal process for being out of compliance, but at no point have we been out of compliance or ever received a violation ID or any indication that we were not in compliance (or we would have corrected it). This appeal process (with a 60-day response clock) has not gone anywhere and we seem to be stuck in this "loop" without any way to resolve this. I suspect that something happened during the migration from the former hardware developer portal to the current on that resulted in our hardware developer account not being correctly associated with our Entra ID. I think Tier 1 support is misclassifying this as a compliance issue when it is really a backend account issue. I can't find any available tools to attempt to resolve this ourselves. Support channels I have tried so far include multiple tickets with the Partner Center, Microsoft 365, and sending escalation emails to prior partner support channels (that now bounce back). Has anyone in the community experienced anything similar with hardware developer center access and if so, were you able to resolve it? I am running out of ideas for how to get this in front of the right support folks at Microsoft so we can forward and this has already delayed a product launch by ~90 days. Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer, Ryan
Why Samsung Drivers Auto-Install on Lenovo ThinkPad P1 G6 with Windows 11
When using Windows 11 on a Lenovo ThinkPad P1 6th Generation laptop, the system automatically downloads and prompts to install "Samsung"-branded drivers. It is currently unclear whether this phenomenon arises from internal Samsung components in the device requiring driver support or whether the system preemptively pushes universal drivers in anticipation of potential connections to Samsung phones. Is this update mandatory and absolutely necessary? We kindly request clarification on the origin of this "mysterious driver" and an assessment of its necessity for installation.The folder named "Delivery Optimization" suddenly appears in the D drive in Windows 11 system
A folder named "Delivery Optimization" was found in the root directory of the D drive. It is currently unclear whether the folder is generated by the system, used for update caching, or an abnormal file. Please explain whether it can be safely deleted and describe the specific function of this folder.
Is It Normal for Windows 11 to Occupy 6-8GB of Memory on Startup in a 16GB RAM System?
A 2021 ultrabook equipped with 16GB of RAM and pre-installed with Windows 11 shows memory usage consistently between 40% and 50% after startup (approximately 6.4GB to 8GB). This value significantly exceeds the widely reported 29% memory usage (approximately 4.6GB) for 16GB RAM systems. I would like to understand whether this memory usage is normal, why it is higher, whether optimization is needed, and whether there is cause for concern.How to disable the Smart Charging feature in Windows 11?
Following the system update, a power management feature named Full Intelligent Charging has been automatically enabled. I wish to manually disable this within Settings (System > Power/Battery) to revert to standard charging mode, but no explicit toggle option has been found. Please advise on the specific path or method to disable this feature.Windows 11 DCOM service process CPU usage soars to 90% immediately upon startup.
After system startup, the DCOM Server Process Launcher service immediately consumes approximately 90% CPU usage, causing system lag. This anomaly is suspected to be related to recent Windows updates. It is necessary to confirm whether this is a known bug caused by the update and to seek solutions to reduce resource consumption.After booting up Windows 11, the WiFi icon takes 30 to 60 seconds to appear.
After upgrading my Lenovo computer to Windows 11, the Bluetooth icon appears immediately upon startup, but the Wi-Fi icon and connection functionality in the taskbar take 30 seconds to 1 minute to appear. The network adapter model is Intel AX211. I have tried the official driver but it did not resolve the issue.
