Author: Martin Brinkmann

When I was young, I studied German, History and English at Essen University in Germany. I worked in computer support for several years at the time to help other computer users when they ran into issues. Writing started out as a passion project, as I wanted to help more users and not just the ones that I handled in support. This lead to the founding of Ghacks Technology News in 2005. First, as a side-project, but shortly thereafter as a full-time project as the site's popularity exploded. I sold Ghacks to Softonic some years ago, but stayed on as Editor. You can still read my articles on the site. I do publish on Betanews as well. In recent years, I started to write and publish technology books, including my latest book "Windows 11 From Beginner to Advanced", which is available on Amazon. I'm also a freelance writer for the German publisher Gamestar. Chipp.in is my newest project. I want to use it to talk about my book projects, sell my books directly, and write about technology, as this is what interests me.
Super MS Config tool

Super MSConfig: open source tweaker checks for “bad” Windows settings

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Super Microsoft Configuration is a new tool by “built by Bel”. It is an “advanced and fully automated alternative to the traditional MSConfig tool” according to the developer.

Key Details:

  • It is designed specifically for Microsoft’s Windows 11 operating system.
  • It checks the state of certain Windows features and settings to rate them as good or bad.
  • Bad settings can be “fixed”.

The current version of the app has the title Super System Configuration. Whether that is going to be the new name or not is unclear. The developer has a habit of changing program names.

Using Super Microsoft Configuration

The program is portable and you may run it right after you have downloaded it from the GitHub repository.

Note: Windows SmartScreen may display a security warning. The reason for this is that it is a new program, not because it is malicious. A check on Virustotal returned a single false positive hit.

Hit the check button in the interface to run the scan. This should not take longer than a few seconds and you end up with a long log at the end.

The bad entries are shown in red. You can check “show only bad config” to hide the good settings to better focus on what the program considers bad.

While that helps, it is possible that you will still end up with dozens of entries. The main issue here is that each entry is listed in a single row. Since the information includes a description, Registry path, and other information, it is possible that you may need to scroll to read everything.

As far as what is considered beta is concerned, here are a few examples:

  • Sending feedback and error reports.
  • Radio access.
  • Disabled Windows Defender Real-time Protection.
  • Disabled User Account Control.
  • Disabled Secure Boot.

At least two of the detected bad configurations were erroneous. User Account Control was enabled on the test system, for instance. The program returned no “current value” for the entry, which is why it detected it as bad.

You may double-click on an entry to display the details in a new window. This improves accessibility.

Overview of a specific tweak

The window includes buttons to apply the fix or revert it. Here you may also copy the Registry value to search for it online.

It is necessary to go through them one by one, as you may not want to disable or enable features that might cause issues.

This makes Super System Configuration an advanced tool. The GitHub repository says as much as well.

Verdict

The application is not that different from other tweaking tools, including some of the developer’s past and present offerings. The main difference is the scanning and that it reveals advanced information, such as Registry keys.

On the other hand, it is difficult to navigate and there is no distinction between disabling quick links on Microsoft Edge’s new tab page and enabling Secure Boot or disabling microphone access.

It is not something that inexperienced users may want to use. It lacks guidance and at least some kind of warning or classification for some of the tweaks.

Considering that the program is available as a preview, it is a good idea to monitor its development and wait for the final release. For now, it is an interesting rough application.

Copilot key laptops

You can remap the Windows Copilot Hardware Key to something useful

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Many Windows devices will ship with a new hardware key. The Copilot key is a new key on the keyboard that activates the core AI feature of the operating system when pressed.

If that is all it does, it is probably the most useless key on the keyboard. Yes, it is worse than Scroll Lock.

The main reason is that Copilot sits on the taskbar already. A click opens the interface. Why would you need a key for that?

I’d take it back if Microsoft would add Copilot shortcuts to it, similar to how the Windows-key works. Press Copilot Key and V, and Copilot gives you an analysis of the Clipboard content. Something like that.

How to remap the Copilot key

The Group Policy entry Set Copilot Hardware Key and the corresponding Registry entry. Source: Tero Alhonen

Good news is that you can remap the Copilot Hardware Key. Right now, you may do so either through a policy or directly in the Registry. Tero Alhonen published the information on X.

Since Windows Home admins have no access to the Policy Editor, it is easier to remap the key in the Registry.

Here is how it is done:

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Type regedit and select Registry Editor from the list of results.
  3. Confirm the UAC prompt by selecting the option Yes.
  4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\CopilotKey
    • Note: if a key does not exist, right-click on the previous key and select New > Key. Name it accordingly and proceed.
  5. Right-click on CopilotKey and select New > Dword (32-bit) Value.
  6. Name it SetCopilotHardwareKey.
  7. Double-click on SetCopilotHardwareKey and set its value to 1.
  8. Right-click on CopilotKey again and select New > String Value.
  9. Name it EnterAppAumid.
  10. Double-click on it and paste the Application User Model ID of an installed app into the field.
  11. Close the Registry Editor.
  12. Restart Windows.

Background information: The AUMID / AppID (Application User Mode ID) is used by Windows to “identify and differentiate applications for switching, launching, telemetry, and functions”.

You can get the IDs of all installed apps in the following way:

  • Open the Start menu.
  • Type Terminal and select the Terminal app.
  • Type Get-StartApps and press the Enter-key in the Terminal window.

The list of IDs of installed apps is returned. You need to copy the entire ID, e.g. Microsoft.WindowsCalculator_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App, as the value of EnterAppAumid in the Registry.

Share

Fixing OneDrive’s “Creating shareable link…” error loop that never ends

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft OneDrive is a popular file cloud hosting, sharing, and to a degree editing service. This is especially true on Windows, as Windows users who sign in with a Microsoft account have OneDrive automatically.

Like any other file hosting service, OneDrive supports the sharing of files. You have a few options there. Notable options include setting rights to view or edit, adding a password, or expiration.

When you try to share a file or files, you get two options in the beginning:

  • Send Link, which informs recipients about the new shared file.
  • Copy Link, which creates a link that you may copy.

While you can add any email, name or group to “Send Link”, you will run into a dead-end if you try to send it to emails that are not associated with a Microsoft account.

The dreaded “The following emails are not Microsoft accounts” error is displayed in that case immediately.

The following emails are not Microsoft accounts.

When you switch to “Copy Link”, you do get a few more options. You can set an expiration date and also a password. There is also the option to share it with anyone, which means that anyone may access the link without signing-in, or with specific people.

Creating Sharable Link never ends

If you pick specific people and add a non-Microsoft account email address, your browser will enter the never-ending “creating sharable link” loop.

Creating sharable link OneDrive

This appears to be a common problem. A search for the issue returns plenty of support requests on Microsoft community websites, but also elsewhere.

To get out, you may want to press the Esc-Key. Not only does it end the link creation screen, it also shows you the reason why you cannot invite specific people.

You may have guessed it already: because the email is not a Microsoft account email.

In other words, if you want to share OneDrive files with emails that are not associated with a Microsoft account, you can only use “anyone”.

Here, it may be a good idea to set a password and/or an expiration date, especially if you plan to share it with a small number of users.

Bonus Tip: Select Shared > By You on the OneDrive website to see all files that you have enabled for sharing. OneDrive does not display lots of information there.

You do not know if the shared file is set to expire or if it is password protected. There is also no information on hits or any other kind of traffic information.

Select the three-dots icon and then “manage access” to check out the full sharing information. Links are found under the links tab.

There, OneDrive is finally revealing whether access is good for editing or viewing. Icons indicate whether the link is password protected or auto-expiring. What you do not get is the password, however. You can delete links from here and change the password, if you need to.

Have you ever shared files online? If so, which service or application have you used for that? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

O&O Lanytix

This free Windows program lists and logs all devices connected to the local network

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Computer users have a few options to list devices connected to the local network. O&O Lanytix is a free software for Windows that does offers the functionality.

Why is this important? There are several purposes. One may help reveal foreign devices connected to the network. It may also reveal hidden cameras, provided that they are connected to the same network.

The application is compatible with all supported versions of Windows (Windows 10 and up). Just download the 2 megabyte file to get started. You can run it after the download completes, an installation is not necessary.

Activate the scan local network button to run the first scan. It takes a moment to complete and reveals connected devices.

Each device is listed with its name, IP address, Mac, manufacturer, ping, OS, and the time it first appeared on the network. The status, on (connected) or off (disconnected) is also displayed.

Name, operating system, and manufacturer may reveal much about the devices, but this is not always the case. Some devices have no name or manufacturer, which may make it difficult to identify them.

An option to assign notes to entries is missing; this could help improve identification, as it may make it easier to spot foreign or new devices.

One of the shortcomings of Lanytix is that it does not support automation. There is no hourly scan option or other scan options. If you want a scan, you need to activate the scan button manually.

The application keeps a history for each detected device. Double-click on a device to look up the information. It shows changes, for instance to a device’s IP address, among other things.

The program supports scanning an IP range next to that. Data can be exported.

Verdict: O&O Lanytix is a well-designed program for Windows. It is easy to use and scans the local network for devices quickly. The log feature is particularly handy, as it reveals a device’s history.

Do you scan devices in your networks sometimes? Or is that something that you have no interest in at all? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Bitdefender launches security product promising 24/7 YouTube account protection

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Bitdefender Security For Creators is a new security product that the company says helps creators focus on content creation and growing their communities instead of the management of security tasks.

So, what do you get when you sign-up for the product?

  • YouTube channel and account monitoring, alerts for “alerts for mass deletion of videos, alterations to account name, profile picture changes, descriptions and more”.
  • Phishing protection that flags “phishing and scam emails” automatically.
  • Hacking prevention that protects logins and sensitive data against “infostealers, online threats, and hidden malware designed to steal your information”.
  • Account recovery assistance that provides users with step-by-step guides to recover account access or data.

Some of these features are unique. This includes the YouTube channel and account monitoring feature. Others, not so much. Most antivirus solutions offer phishing protections. Unless BitDefender has found a unique way to handle those, you best bet is to stay alert regardless of that. Some phishing emails will bypass protections.

The price is quite hefty for the product. Bitdefender Security for Creators is available for $15 per month or $180 yearly, and that is already 50% off the regular price.

While that may not be much for content creators who have millions of followers, it is a sizeable sum, especially when compared to regular security services and products.

Also, YouTube is the only service that it monitors right now. That leaves plenty of other services, Twitch, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and others. Whether these will be added in a future update is unclear. Bitdefender confirms that it is working on adding other platforms soon. It mentions Instagram and TikTok specifically.

There is a 30-day money back guarantee and also versions for teams of up to three or five. These cost $18 or $21 respectively.

Closing words

Bitdefender Security For Creators is a product for content creators who want to protect their accounts. The monitoring is the key feature that separates it from regular antivirus solutions.

This is limited to receiving alerts, however. When someone mass deletes your videos, you should know. But you receive the alert once the software detects the mass deletion. This also means that someone got access to the account.

I can see this becoming popular with a specific breed of creators, especially once new services do get added to the monitoring and alerting functionality.

What is your take on this? Would you say this is a product designed for a specific audience that could do well, because of that? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Windows 11 Sign out

Microsoft listened? Sign out restored in Windows 11’s Start menu

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft has restored a feature that it removed some time ago from Windows. At least in the Beta version of the operating system, sign-out is once again accessible directly when clicking on the profile icon in the Start menu.

Here is the current process in Windows 11 when you want to sign out using the Start menu:

  1. Click on the Start button to open the Start menu.
  2. Click on the profile icon.
  3. Activation of the menu (three dots).
  4. Selection of sign out.

Once the change lands, the process is the following one:

  1. Click on the Start button to open the Start menu.
  2. Click on the profile icon.
  3. Select Sign out.

It used to be this way, but Microsoft introduced the account manager to the Start menu. The main purpose of it, if you ask me, is to advertise Microsoft 365 and Microsoft cloud storage.

Account manager in Start menu. Source: Microsoft

It shows the M365 subscription status and also the available cloud storage. For that, Microsoft removed the options to sign out or switch users from the main interface and hid it behind a new menu that it added just for that purpose.

If you look at the screenshot of the revised version, you may notice that something is amiss. Where is the option to switch to another user? Microsoft says that it will show a list of signed in users under menu.

The screenshot shows nothing of it though. Maybe it is only displayed when there are other users who are signed in.

Note: a better way of signing out is to right-click on the Start button. It shows that option next to others under shutdown.

Since it is a beta release, it is possible that Microsoft is going to alter the interface further before it hits the stable channel and the majority of users.

How do you sign our or shut down your Windows PCs? Do you have any preference? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Windows 11: Intelligent Media Search feature powered by AI is coming

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

I have a simple opinion about AI. If it is off by default and if I control my data, I might use it if it is useful. Whether Intelligent Media Search is such a feature remains to be seen.

First spotted by Xeno and revealed on X, it is designed to let users index all of their audio and video files to make it searchable. The feature is powered by AI and the idea is that you can use natural language to search for matching audio or video files.

You can ask questions like:

  • What cakes did I eat over the years on my wife’s birthday?
  • Who shot first? Han or Greedo in the film Star Wars?
  • Retrieve every mention of X in project videos / audio files.

Obviously, you could do a lot with this, provided that you have the media files on the local system. Ask questions about a teleconference call, financial audio webcasts, or anything else that is available as media on the system.

There is also the possibility for it to find specific files, music by a band, appearances of an actor, or a certain event in movies or videos.

Does that sound useful? Not to everyone, but it certainly has more appeal than the overreaching Recall feature. That is back to the drawing board as Microsoft was certainly caught off-guard when the rain of negative feedback started.

Still, little is known about the feature. Good news is that Microsoft is asking for consent and it seems likely that the feature is off by default because of that. So, there is little to worry about for users who do not want to use it, provided that Microsoft does not push the Intelligent Media Search feature to hard or in an annoying way.

The verdict is still out on this one. Lots is unclear. Where is the indexed data stored, how is it protected, will it be synced? What controls do users get?

What is your take on the feature? Would you use it under certain circumstances? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Windows 11: new update time estimation is as accurate as Windows’ copy dialog

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

When you copy files from one location to another in Windows, an estimation of the remaining time is displayed. This estimation may fluctuate widely and it has been at the center of many jokes.

source: xkcd

Microsoft has added a similar estimation to Windows updates in the latest Insider builds.

Some Insiders in the Canary Channel will begin to see an estimated time for how long their PC will be offline to install Build 27695. This estimate will be shown on the Windows Update settings page and via the Start menu power button.

If you have installed updates in Windows before, you know that you never know how long an update will take to install.

When you hit the restart button, it feels like a game of chance. Sometimes, updates seem to install quickly, at other times, they seem to take ages.

New builds or feature updates take longer, naturally, than the monthly cumulative updates or minor updates.

It is a good idea to avoid installing updates if you are in a hurry. If you just have a bit of time before you need to leave the computer, you better postpone the installation until you return.

There is another reason for that: if something goes wrong, you may not have the time to start fixing the issue immediately.

Microsoft hopes that the displayed estimates help administrators; but does it?

Windows Update downtime estimation

Problem is, Windows Update displays a range and not a fixed number. The screenshot that Microsoft published shows a downtime between 15 and 50 minutes.

Source: Microsoft

Is that helpful? Would not it be better if Microsoft would either display just the maximum, e.g. up to 50 minutes, or the average, e.g. 35 minutes to the user?

The feature is in testing right now and only some Insiders see it. It is shown on the Windows Update settings page and the start menu power button after an update has been downloaded and prepared for installation.

How do you handle updates in Windows? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

VeraCrypt interface

VeraCrypt: first update of the year improves security and fixes bugs

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

The developers of the open source encryption software VeraCrypt have released VeraCrypt 1.26.14 for all supported platforms. The new version adds a notification if volumes are affected by the XTS master key vulnerability.

The issue was fixed last year in VeraCrypt 1.26.7, but only for newly created volumes. While unlikely even then, the newly added notification ensures that users are informed if one of their encrypted volumes are still affected by the vulnerability.

Installation or upgrade

The new release installs over existing installations. This should not be problematic for most users. A system restore point is created by default during the installation. Note that a restart is required to complete the process. You cannot mount volumes until the final restart.

VeraCrypt 1.26.24 does not mount TrueCrypt volumes anymore. This was the case for last year’s release as well, but is still noteworthy.

If you still have an old TrueCrypt volume, e.g., on a removable drive you have not touched for years, you may want to use an earlier version of VeraCrypt to decrypt the encrypted volume before you encrypt it again using the software.

Note that you may download older VeraCrypt versions from the official project website. VeraCrypt 1.25.9 was the last to support TrueCrypt volumes.

An overview of the changes of VeraCrypt 1.26.14

The update is a bug fix release for the most part. It does come with updated translations and documentation as well as some compatibility improvements on non-Windows systems.

Here is a short list of the most important changes and fixes:

  • Windows: VeraCrypt Expander: Fix expansion of volumes on disks with a sector size different from 512.
  • Linux: Enhance ASLR security of generic installer binaries by adding linked flag for old GCC version.
  • macOS: Fix near zero width PIM input box and simplify wxTextValidator logic.
  • FreeBSD: Support automatic detection and mounting of ext2/3/4, exFAT, NTFS filesystems.

You can check out the full changelog here. As you can see, it is mostly maintenance related changes and a fix bug fixes.

Closing Words

Still, it is a good idea to upgrade to the new version because of these fixes and the notification if one of the volumes has a vulnerable XTS master key.

Now You: do you use encryption software? Maybe even VeraCrypt? Or do you swear on a different software? Feel free to leave a comment down below!

Steam Trending Free

Steam’s new Trending Free category is easy to miss

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you are a Steam user, you may know that Steam has an ever-growing assortment of games that are free to play. Valve does include demoes, free to play, and free games in the category, which makes it a bit difficult to find the interesting ones.

Generally speaking, free means that the game is free to download and play. These games usually do not include payable content.

Free to play games, on the other hand, usually come with content that you need to pay for. Some limit this to cosmetic items, others limit progression or entire parts of the game, if you do not pay.

Here is the overview:

  • Free — No in-game purchases. May offer DLC though.
  • Free to Play — May include in-game purchases, often to unlock content.
  • Free demos — Test versions of games that offer limited access to content.

Up until now, there was not really an option to check out trending free games on Steam. While you could browse the free to play listing of games, you’d only find “new & trending” and “trending upcoming” games there.

If you wanted to get a list of the hottest free games on Steam at the time of writing, you’d be out of luck.

Valve added a new trending free listing to Steam, but it is not where you’d expect it to be. You do not find it on the free to play page on Steam. Instead, it is found on the startpage.

Here is how you get there:

  1. Open the Steam Store, either in the browser or in the Steam client.
  2. Scroll down until you come to the New & trending listing.
  3. Activate Trending Free there to display the free games that are trending on Steam right now.

Steam displays the top 10 free games that are trending on Steam right now. Note that you may get a mix of everything the free category has to offer. This means, that you may see free demos next to free to play and free games on Steam.

Is it a groundbreaking feature? Not really. Still, if you like to browse what is trending on Steam, you may find this new trending free filter useful as well.

Do you use Steam or another digital gaming platform? Feel free to leave a comment down below.