How do I completely wipe an SD card and make it unrecoverable?
I heard that a simple format of an SD card doesn't actually erase the data and that files could be recovered. Currently, I am working on a data disposition project and require authoritative guidance on secure SD card sanitization. Could you elaborate on the distinction between software-based overwriting methodologies and hardware-based cryptographic sanitization via the ATA Secure Erase command? What are the specific tool recommendations and procedural considerations for dealing with wear-leveling and reserved sectors on modern flash media? I need to clear or completely wipe an SD card and make the SD card unrecoverable. Your detailed technical insight will be instrumental in establishing a compliant and verifiable data destruction workflow. Thank you for your contribution to this critical operational security matter.
Updates from Oct 2025 to Jan 2026 causing Desktop and Taskbar to disappear
Machine is DELL Optiplex 7070, OS is Windows 11 x64: Starting in Oct 2025 and thru to Jan 2026 following updates caused the taskbar to disappear: KB5065789 KB5066835 KB5068861 KB5072033 The first three times I was able to uninstall the update since I had access to god-mode on my desktop. But on Jan. 11, 2026 the last one (KB5072033)also caused my desktop to disappear. Just a black screen. I used Ctrl-Alt-Del to get to task manager and by working on changing permissions on Explorer.exe and stopping and restarting explorer.exe I was finally able to get the desktop to return and then uninstall KB5072033. I Have paused updates for 5 weeks, and hidden the offensive ones, but I rely on the computer to manage many accounts and this is getting really scary.Why can't I update my Windows 10 to 11 on my pc?
Downloaded the Windows 11 ISO version 25H2 from Microsoft, hoping this could be fine for upgrading Windows 10 to Windows 11 25H2 on my Dell desktop PC. After waiting a couple of minutes, the Windows 11 setup wizard this PC can't run Windows 11. I don't know what is this. Though the PC was built a couple of years go, it is still in good condition and the hardware specs are decent, including an Intel i7 7700K CPU, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM and 8GB. Any ideas why can't I update my Windows 10 to 11? Thanks for any help you can offer.(KB5064081) (26100.5074) Failed to install - 0x800f081f
Hi.... I've been trying to install 2025-08 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5064081) (26100.5074) for the last five days. It downloads okay. But when I try to install it, that's when the fun starts. It installs up to 25% and then sits there for a while. Then it starts installing again and zooms up to 88%, then it pauses for a few seconds. It then zips up to 100%, but then I always get the error message "2025-08 Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 24H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5064081) (26100.5074) Failed to install - 0x800f081f." I've tried a lot of solutions I found online. But I have yet to find a solution that downloads / installs the update and finishes completely successfully. No matter what solution I try it always ends up in the scenario I mentioned above. The solutions I have tried in the last five days are listed below. 1 - Windows Update Troubleshooter, which failed to run. 2 - Reset Windows Update components: net stop wuauserv net stop cryptSvc net stop bitsnet stop msiserve Rename your update folders by running this code: ren C:\Windows\SoftwareDistribution SoftwareDistribution.old ren C:\Windows\System32\catroot2 catroot2.old Run the following commands to restart the update components: net start wuauserv net start cryptSvc net start bits net start msiserver 3 - Ran SFC and DISM to repair corruption in an elevated Command Prompt: Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /CheckHealth Dism /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHeal 4 - Manually downloaded the update from the Microsoft Update Catalogue and installed the update. 5 - Outbyte PC Repair. 6 - Downloaded to the SSD and mounted the ISO Windows file, while keeping my files, apps, etc. 7 - Performed an "In-Place Upgrade", with wiping the disk and not keeping my files, apps, etc. Therefore wiping the SSD clean. The PC involved is: ASUS Viviobook E1504FA (laptop) AMD Ryzen 5 7520U with Radeon Graphics 8.00 GB (7.28 GB usable) Windows 11 Home 24H2 - OS Build 26100.4946 Would anyone have any ideas / suggestions that I can try to get this update installed successfully? Thank you.
Recent print driver updates for Windows 11
My two Intel based PC's and one Windows on Arm based laptop, received driver updates for a HP Laserjet M478f printer. It works OK but the driver does not detect that the printer can do duplex printing. I had to switch the Intel based devices back to HP's original driver from 2022. I can't do that for the Arm based laptop, because there isn't a driver from HP for that. I can only use the Microsoft one that now lacks duplex printing. I was fine before the driver change a few days ago. MS, please update the driver. Meanwhile, I cannot do duplex printing on the Arm based device. How do I roll back the older driver. I couldn't find a driver in device manager for the printer. Any ideas? Thanks.
