Recent Discussions
Messing around on my Desktop PC
I have a desktop with a 2 SSD drives and I would like to wipe them both clean before I reinstall windows 11 I have been lent a copy of partition assistant which has a wipe disk function on it . Am I right in assuming that after using this software to wipe both SSDs clean I simply plug a USB Flash Drive in that has Win 11 installation media file on and this will install the OS ? Obviously I have nothing on the PC that needs keeping so there no need to back anything up I assume? Thank You for Reading.Windows PC upgrade
I keep getting messages from Microsoft on my Windows 10 PC, telling me to upgrade to Windows 11 before updates become obsolete. I'm fine with this, as my tower PC is rather old, having bought it nearly 9 years ago, in 2016, but anything with the same or similar specifications (below) now seems to cost thousands of pounds, rather than the few hundreds (just over £400, I think) that I paid. What's the way around this please? Should I buy a cheap laptop and upgrade the RAM and possibly graphics card and plug in my monitor and a larger 2gb external hard drive, with my files on, into it? Or are there any reliable cheaper tower options, with the same or higher spec please?Pls recommend the best duplicate file remover for pc
Recently, I've noticed that my Windows PC has accumulated a lot of duplicate files over time. I am sure most of them are photos, documents, and even music tracks. This is taking up unnecessary space, and I plan to find the duplicate files and remove them up efficiently from my PC. Could anyone recommend a reliable duplicate file remover for pc? The one I'm looking for: Free or paid software that accurately detects duplicates (including similar images or renamed files). Manual methods (if any) using built-in Windows tools. Any precautions I should take before deleting duplicates (e.g., backups). If you know a good duplicate file finder and remover, pls kindly let me know. Thank you
Microsoft SwiftKey app
I have this as my keyboard on my Samsung & for the most part it's been fine. Recently though it's not been carrying out the shortcuts I'd put in (which had been working fine for years until recent). I go to open the app & noticed its not even there in my library.if I access apps via settings then it's listed but as an enable/disable app not an 'open' app. It appears I can't access the apps own settings. The annoying thing with the shortcuts is that they don't work or not work, they some times work & some times don't work (when they always used to work every time until recently).Windows 10 laptop keeps restarting after power cut
The laptop force shut down. And since I booted it up again it is showing me two options (windows 10 on volume 5). Regardless of which one I choose i keeps restarting and going back to the same screen and provides me with the same options. How do I fix this?Preparing for Windows 11 upgrade
My PC is capable of running Windows 11 and I am getting the usual Microsoft prompts to do so. Prior to upgrading I am giving it a good tidy up and ensuring everything is backed up. I was wondering what will happen to the MSOffice Professional 2016 that I use - can anyone advise if this will continue to work.The best spotify playlist downloader supports more than 100 songs?
Hi everyone, Came across an amazing Spotify playlist that has more than 100 songs. Is there any good spotify playlist downloader for this purpose? Many online spotify playlist downloading tools I've tried either cap the download limit, have poor audio quality, or stop working after a few tracks. I need something that can efficiently download entire playlists while maintaining good sound quality—preferably 320kbps or close to it. What I need: Supports downloading entire playlists (100+ tracks) High-quality audio (preferably 320kbps) No malware/spyware (trusted software only) Works on Windows/Mac (or web-based) Much appreciated for any tips on this matter. Also, does anyone know of workarounds for Spotify’s restrictions on large playlists? Thanks in advance for your help!
Ditching Windows OS has any one considered it?
I'm looking at the new new operating systems I'm thinking of a new computer but don't like the ransomware that microsoft wants subscriptions for software. I don't have a problem buying the os but the monthly or yearly renewal justs irks me. I went through it with autodesk and got rid of them. Now I'm thinking of firing Bill and his crew too. Any suggestions on where to start I was a DOS head back in the day so I'm pretty open to other options.Windows 11
Windows 11 24H2 has changed installer UI to new one if you boot from it.Which made me think of compare both installing speed (because during install, it took so long for some reason) So I made this video (subtitle only) to comparing and prove that Windows 11 on same version installing was 2 minutes faster when using the old setup.Remove the "Update and Shutdown" option
About to go home last night at 7pm and shut down my work PC, but windows has an update. So I selected "Update and Shutdown" and left the office. Today when I clocked in and pressed the power button, I was immediately on the lock screen and when I checked the Up time, it showing as 14 hours. I have "Turn on Fast startup" unchecked on my PC. To microsoft, why don't you just remove the "Update and shutdown" option if all you really wanted to do is to "Update and restart" it? The concerning part about this is the computer is turned on, idling for 14 hours, just wasting electricity. Luckily my work PC is just a laptop but for the majority of work places whose work PCs are desktop which chugs more power even when idle, this is such a waste of electricity. It's ironic that windows 11 has a "Energy recommendations" in System -> Power & battery which says on the smaller text "Lower your carbon footprint...". Lol microsoft, no, YOU lower your carbon footprint by just following what the user selected when turning off their computers, which is "Update and Shutdown".What is the best duplicate image finder for Windows 11?
The free space on my Windows 11 laptop becomes much less and only 5GB is available. As far as I know, there are many duplicate files especially the photos imported from my Android phone. I guess it is quite effective way to get more free storage by removing the photo duplicates. However, it is impossible for doing this manually. Does anyone know a good duplicate image finder that works on Windows 11? I tried 2 free ones but only dozens of duplicate photos are found and this doesn't do any help for my situation. Best Regards, NatalieHow to download songs off Spotify to PC or Mac?
My Spotify Premium was expired and currently unable to download songs from Spotify anymore. Sadly, the previous downloads failed to play with the built-in media player. Is there any reliable and way to let me download songs off Spotify without premium on a Windows PC or Mac? I tried a few free online downloaders and very annoyed by the pop-up ads and prompted content. In addition, the downloaded mp3 files are just in low quality. Hope someone could help on this. Thank you
LANMAN AUTHENTICATION MUST COME BACK. YOU ALL DID SOMETHING HORRIBLE TO THE DOS COMMUNITY.
With the release of Windows 11 version 24H2, Microsoft has fully removed NTLMv1 authentication support. This is not just a deprecation—this is a full removal of a feature that has existed and been relied on for over two decades. As a result, legacy clients such as MS-DOS 6.22 with Microsoft Network Client 3.0, Windows 95, and Windows 98 can no longer authenticate with modern Windows systems, even in isolated environments where security risks are not a factor. This change completely breaks functionality that previously worked in Windows 10 and earlier Windows 11 versions. When attempting to connect from an MS-DOS client, I receive a “password incorrect” error followed by “Access denied: Error 5,” even though the credentials are correct and the configuration is unchanged. LM and NTLMv1 were the only supported protocols on these systems. With NTLMv1 removed, they are now completely locked out. This is a major problem. Microsoft has, with this change, cut off all native support for retro and vintage systems from Windows-based file servers. There is no workaround provided. There is no opt-in compatibility mode. And there is no Microsoft-supported alternative. The only path forward is to install and configure a third-party Linux server running Samba, configured to accept insecure authentication. For many users, that is not a realistic or acceptable solution. These legacy systems are not running on production networks. They are used in air-gapped labs, museums, personal collections, restoration projects, educational environments, retro software development, and digital preservation. These setups do not need modern security protocols—they need access. Until now, Microsoft had made it possible to continue supporting these systems with careful configuration. With 24H2, that path has been entirely removed. This decision is extremely damaging to the retro computing community. It ends compatibility for a large number of legitimate, historically significant systems. It eliminates decades of backward support with no replacement. And it sends a clear message that retro computing is no longer supported by Microsoft at any level, even as an opt-in legacy feature. Yes, NTLMv1 is insecure. Yes, it should be disabled by default. But removing it entirely, without even offering an advanced option to re-enable it, is unnecessary and harmful. Microsoft already handles other legacy protocols—like SMBv1—as optional features with warnings. NTLMv1 should be treated the same way. I am asking Microsoft to reintroduce NTLMv1 as an optional, unsupported legacy authentication mode. This can be done safely behind a registry key, group policy, optional Windows feature, or PowerShell command. It does not need to be exposed in the GUI or enabled by default. It simply needs to exist for those of us who need it and fully understand the risks. Right now, Windows 11 24H2 breaks all file sharing support for MS-DOS and other legacy clients. If this change remains permanent, retro computing users will be forced to remain on Windows 10 indefinitely or move to non-Microsoft solutions to retain functionality that has existed for decades. Please do not abandon retro users who rely on this. Provide a way to restore NTLMv1 in controlled environments. Removing it entirely without a fallback path is unacceptable to a large and passionate part of your community.Window Password
Is it Possible to reveal the windows password in my PC without doing a reset. I do not need it to get into the PC as when it boots it automatically and starts ok. I need to to be able to see the passwords I have in Google Chrome. When I want to see the Stored Passwords in Chrome it asks me for the Windows User Name and Password. I know the User Name but not the Windows Password. Do not want to reset it just to know what it is. Thanks, Rick
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- What questions do you have about hotpatch updates for Windows 11, version 24H2? Find answers and resources here.May 14, 2025
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