Category: Software

Google Messages: new protections may cause issues for some

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Google announced a range of new security features for its messaging app and service Google Messages.

Google says that the service is used by more than 1 billion users per day and that it filters out 2 billion suspicious messages each month already.

Good to know: the improvements roll out over time and some are currently available for Beta users in select markets. Others will be launching later this year or next year.

Here is what is getting improved:

  • Better protections against scam messages, starting with package delivery and job scams.
  • Improved protections against potentially dangerous links.
  • Option to turn off messages from unknown international phone numbers.
  • Option to turn on Sensitive Content Warning to blur images that may contain nudity.
  • Verification option to confirm the recipient or sender of messages. (next year).

Some of these may require additional explanations.

Google Messages gets improved message and link scanning protections. The first “will automatically move the message into your spam folder” or display a warning. Google says that it is using on-device algorithms to identify scams, which means that the information never leaves the device by default.

Issue: False positives may move legitimate messages into the spam folder. If you are waiting for such a message, but have not received it, you may want to check the spam to make sure it was not improperly classified as a scam by Google.

For links, Google is using two classifications.

  • Links from unknown senders display a warning.
  • Links from suspicious senders blocked automatically.

Controls to turn off messages from unknown senders sounds like a good idea. It is, for most users. It may be problematic if you receive messages regularly from users from other countries.

Issue: If you travel a lot, you may receive messages regularly. If you enable this feature, you may want to check the “Spam & blocked” folder, as they are moved there automatically when the feature is enabled.

Closing Words

Most users will benefit from the new features and options. While it may take months or even longer for them to roll out to all Android users who use Google Messages, they will arrive eventually.

For some users, these protective features may introduce issues, as some legitimate messages or message attempts will be moved to spam or blocked outright.

Now you: what is your take on the new functionality? Do you use Google Messages at all, or do you prefer a different kind of messaging system? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Windows 11: Enhance Pointer Precision explained

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Windows 11 and previous versions use the mouse feature Enhance Pointer Precision by default. This guide helps you understand what the feature does and why, in some cases, it may be better turned off.

What is Enhance Pointer Precision? Put simply, it is designed to improve the accuracy of slow mouse moves.

Maybe you have tried to target a very specific pixel on the screen. Say, a smaller than usual scrollbar, a button or link that is tiny, or anything else that needs precise movements.

Enhance Pointer Precision makes “the pointer work more accurately when you’re moving the mouse slowly” according to Microsoft.

While that may be useful in some cases, it can introduce problems in certain apps or games. Take first-person shooter games as an example. You need to be precise in them, but mouse movement is often rapid.

If you do not want Windows 11 to apply its pointer precision algorithm in those cases, you may turn it off.

Turning off Enhance Pointer Precision

You may toggle the mouse preference in the Settings app. Here is how that is done:

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Launch the Settings app from it.
    • Tip: you may use the shortcut Windows-I to launch the Settings app.
  3. Go to Bluetooth & devices > Mouse.
  4. Set Enhance Pointer Precision to Off to disable the feature.

Chance is, you may not see a difference right away. It depends on several factors, including the mouse and its movement.

Tip: you may want to test the change. If you ran into issues with the mouse in certain apps or games, launch those and start tests.

You can undo the change at any time by setting the preference to On again.

Registry offers more control

You may also modify the relevant settings in the Windows Registry. While most users may not need to do so, it is offering more options.

Here is an overview of the available keys:

  • MouseThreshold1 — If mouse movement exceeds this value, cursor speed is doubled.
  • MouseThreshold2 – If mouse movement exceeds this value, cursor speed is quadrupled.
  • MouseSpeed — The speed of the mouse cursor.

The two threshold values need to be higher than the value of MouseSpeed.

Here is how you change those values

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Type regedit.exe and press the Enter-key.
  3. Confirm the security prompt by selecting Yes.
  4. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse.
  5. Double-click on MouseSpeed, MouseThreshold1, and MouseThreshold2 respectively to change the values.
  6. To turn Enhance Pointer Precision off, set all values to 0.
    • To enable the feature again, set the values to 1, 6, and 10.

Tip: you can experiment with different values to see if the adjusted parameters work for your use cases.

WinDirStat Interface

WinDirStat: a new version is out 19 years after its last stable release

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

If you have been using Windows computers for at least 2 decades, you may still remember the open source app WinDirStat.

WinDirstat, in a nutshell, visualizes disk usage and supports cleanup operations. Programs like it, or my current favorite WizTree, are helpful in detecting large files and folders.

The programs are useful especially when it comes to cleaning up disk space. If your disk space is running low, these programs may help you find large files or lots of smaller files that you do not need anymore.

Something like a downloaded Windows ISO image or a 4K test movie for example.

19 years later: a new version is released

A new version of the open source tool is now available. While WinDirStat 2.0.1 has been released 19 years after the previous version, it did not took 19 years to develop the new version.

A new developer offered to help last year and the new version is the result of the involvement.

As you can imagine, the new version had a lot of catching up to do. The official changelog reflects that. There is now an official native 64-bit version and a native ARM version. The installer is now using MSI, and compatibility with all recent and not so recent versions of Windows is guaranteed.

Next to these architectural changes, there are plenty of functional changes.

Here is a short list of important improvements:

  • Multiple items can now be selected, e.g. for cleaning or moving.
  • Scan results can be exported as CSV files.
  • Full Explorer context menu now available.
  • Support for long file names.
  • Duplicate file finder supports file hashes now.
  • Improved resolution scaling.

Note: I encountered an issue while running the program. It reported a total disk size of 202.1 TB on the main drive of the laptop I ran it on. This drive has an actual size of just 1 TB. It only reported the physical size incorrectly. The logical size was correctly displayed.

The program is easy to use. While it does not scan drives as fast as WizTree, it does so reasonably fast.

The main interface uses three panes. The first displays folders and files, the second file extensions, and the third a visual representation of the space.

You can use the options menu to hide some of the panes. A click on a folder expands it and shows subfolders and files that it contains. Each folder is listed with its size and number of files.

It is relatively easy to spot large folders and files. The program lacks an option to display the largest files though, which may make the process a bit cumbersome.

You may delete files right away or use the cleanup menu, which offers various options.

Closing Words

It is good to see that WinDirStat has been revived from the dead. While I still prefer WizTree, as it is faster and has better functionality, it is a solid alternative.

Do you use disk space analyzers? If so, which is your favorite and why? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Windows 11 24H2: Firmware update addresses crash issue for Western Digital and Sandisk SSD

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

News about BlueScreen crashes on Western Digital or Sandisk SSD systems broke shortly after Microsoft’s release of Windows 11, version 24H2.

Affected user systems crashed regularly after the upgrade to the new version of Windows 11. Users started to collect information about the issue and even suggested a fix that involved making an edit to the Registry.

Microsoft, in the meantime, added an upgrade block for systems with affected hardware. This block prevents the upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 via Windows Update.

The block did not help users who upgraded already. Some downgraded their systems to resolve the issue, others applied the Registry fix.

Firmware Update

Western Digital and SanDisk have released a firmware update for affected storage devices that resolves the issue.

A page on the official SanDisk support website provides the details.

Note: it is recommended to back up important data before you apply firmware updates to storage devices. A BlueScreen crash during the process could corrupt the device and make the data unreadable.

In a nutshell:

  1. Download the Wester Digital Dashboard software using the provided links on the website.
  2. Run the downloaded application.
  3. Select the install button to install the application on the device.
  4. Keep “launch dashboard” checked and activate the finish button.
  5. Select the Tools section.
  6. Click on Update Firmware and then on proceed.
  7. Activate shutdown now at the end of the process.
  8. Power the computer on again.

The new firmware is now installed on the device and the crashes should be a thing of the past.

Affected Western Digital and SanDisk devices

The following Solid State Drives are affected by the issue:

NameModel Number Starting WithUpdated Firmware Version
WD_BLACK SN770 NVMe SSD 2TBWDBBDL0020BNC, WDS200T3X0E731130WD
WD_BLACK SN770M NVMe SSD 2TBWDBDNH0020BBK, WDS200T3X0G731130WD
WD Blue SN580 NVMe SSD 2TBWDBWMY0020BBL, WDS200T3B0E281050WD
WD Blue SN5000 NVMe SSD 2TBWDBS3F0020BNC, WDS200T4B0E291020WD
SanDisk Extreme M.2 NVMe SSD 2TBSDSSDX3N-2T00
Copilot key laptops

Windows 11 24H2: Microsoft confirms Asus Bluescreen issue

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft confirmed three more issues that affect devices that are upgraded to Windows 11 version 24H2.

Probably the most severe of the lot is the issue that may cause a BlueScreen error during the upgrade from earlier versions of Windows 11.

Here are the details:

  • Some Asus devices, including 415KA and X515KA models, are affected.
  • The upgrade does not complete and may result in a BlueScreen error.
  • The issue is linked to “certain hardware components” used in affected models.

Microsoft is blocking (some?) Asus devices from upgrading to Windows 11, version 24H2 using a compatibility hold. This feature blocks the upgrade on the devices, but only when Windows Update is used.

Microsoft recommends that device administrators do not attempt to install the update manually, for instance by using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant or Installation media.

Two additional issues confirmed

Microsoft confirmed two additional issues. These are:

  • Voicemeter app may close unexpectedly and throw a BlueScreen error that may highlight a memory management error. Link
  • Camera use may cause some apps to become unresponsive. This may happen if object or face detection features are enabled. Link

A compatibility hold is now in effect for both issues. While it is easy enough to identify devices with Voicemeter, Microsoft does not reveal which devices are affected by the camera issue.

Administrators are asked not to upgrade to Windows 11, version 24H2 using any other method while Microsoft is investigating and creating patches to address the issues.

Closing Words

Microsoft confirmed several issues affecting Windows 11, version 24H2 already. It is possible that some of these will get resolved when the optional update for the operating system gets released later this month.

On a personal note, I did not experience any issues on a test system that I upgraded to Windows 11, version 24H2.

What about you? Did you upgrade a device to the latest Windows 11 version already? How did it go? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Western Digital users report BlueScreens on Windows 11 24H2 (workaround)

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Reports suggest that some Wester Digital users have problems with Bluescreens on devices with Windows 11 version 24H2.

Microsoft has not acknowledged the issue yet, but reports from the official Western Digital forum suggest that there is indeed an issue.

The post Windows 24H2 + WD = blue screens has 52 replies at the time of writing. It states that “multiple users are having issues with constant blue screens since updating to Windows 24H2”.

Multiple storage devices and firmware versions appear affected. To name the two mentioned the most:

  • WD SN770
  • WD SN580

The Event Viewer shows two related errors:

  • stornvme (this is the system-supplied storage miniport driver.
  • The driver detected a controller error on \Device\RaidPort1 or 2.

Some users rolled back to Windows 11 version 23H2 stating that this has resolved the issue.

Workaround for BlueScreen issues

Note that the workaround requires editing of the Registry. It is recommended to create a system backup, for instance using Paragon Backup & Recovery Free, before making changes to the system.

  1. Open Start.
  2. Type regedit.exe
  3. Select Registry Editor.
  4. Confirm the security prompt.
  5. Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorPort.
  6. Right-click on HMBAllocationPolicy and set the value to 0.
  7. If HMBAllocationPolicy does not exist, right-click on StorPort and select New > Dword (32-bit) Value.
  8. Restart the PC.

This should fix the BlueScreens. Some users have reported performance issues after the reboot. Some have set that setting the value to 2 improved the performance on their devices.

The policy supports the following values:

  • 0 — HMB is disabled.
  • 1 — HMB is set to 8 MB buffer.
  • 2 — HMB is set to 64 MB buffer.
  • 3 — firmware controlled buffer size.

You may need to play around with these values to see which works best on your end.

Which hard drives do you use in your PCs? Do you have a Western Digital drive and are affected by the issue? Feel free to leave a comment down below. (via Deskmodder)

Google removes Kaspersky antivirus from Google Play

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Things are heating up for the Russia-based cybersecurity company Kaspersky. After the company’s antivirus desktop version was hit by a ban in the United States, it is facing a second major drawback.

The details:

  • Google removed Kaspersky’s antivirus app from Google Play worldwide.
  • Google confirmed the removal.
  • Kaspersky apps remain available on the Apple App Store, third-party Android stores, and direct downloads.

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Google confirmed the removal of Kaspersky apps from Google Play in a statement to Bleeping Computer:

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security recently announced a variety of restrictions on Kaspersky. As a result, we have removed Kaspersky’s apps from Google Play.

A search for Kaspersky or any Kaspersky app comes up empty on Google Play. Other antivirus apps are highlighted instead.

Kaspersky says that users may download their apps from third-party sources or from Kaspersky directly.

Kaspersky representatives say that the company is investigating the removal of its apps from the Play Store. It seems unlikely that the apps will be reinstated any time soon.

The removal is another heavy blow for the cybersecurity company. While alternatives remain available, the bulk of Android users rely on the Play Store for all-things app related.

Closing Words

Whether you truly need an antivirus solution for Android is up for debate. A good trusted VPN on the other hand is a recommended addition, if you happen to connect your device to public or third-party wireless networks at times.

What is your take on all of this? Do yo use extra security apps on Android or iOS? If so, which do you use and for what purpose? Feel free to leave a comment down below.

Google is adding anti-theft protections to Android

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Google announced a new set of features designed to protect Android devices against theft in May. At least some of these features are now rolling out on first devices.

The following anti-theft protections are implemented:

  • Require device or Google account credentials to set up an Android device after factory reset.
  • Private area on the device that may be locked with a separate pin.
  • More authentication prompts for changes of sensitive settings.
  • Option to require enhanced authentication for certain features.

Good to know: Factory reset protection and private space is included in Android 15. The enhanced protections “will be released to select devices” this year, according to Google.

Related content

How to turn your Android device into an Internet hotspot

Let’s take a closer look at the features.

Factor reset upgrade prevents a reset by a thief

One options that thieves had until now was to factory reset the phone before selling it on the blackmarket.

Google wants to make this more difficult by requiring credentials before the device can be set up again.

Private area with extra protection

The private area feature enables Android users to lock sensitive apps behind another pin. This prevents direct access to the selected apps. Besides finance and health apps, you may also secure other apps or games, for instance social or messaging apps.

Additional authentication prompts for sensitive settings

Last but not least, Google is adding more protections for sensitive settings. Changing these requires the pin, password or biometric authentication.

The main purpose is to keep unauthorized users, e.g., a thief, from making changes that disable security settings such as Find My Device.

There is also a new option to require additional authentication for sensitive settings. Google mentions viewing or editing “critical Google account and device settings”. These require biometric authentication.

Closing Words

Some of the features are rolling out already to Android users in the United States, according to a post by Mishall Rahman on Threads. Most Android users are probably still waiting for Android 15 on their devices.

You can read Google’s announcement here.

What is your take on the new security features? Will you use them when they become available? Feel free to let us know in the comments below.

How to install Windows 11 24H2 without Windows Update

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Microsoft released the 2024 feature update for Windows 11 a few days ago. This update is rolling out to all users and the main way to install it on non-managed devices is through Windows Update.

But what if the feature update is not shown to you? When you follow Microsoft’s instructions, but it is not offered?

In any event, I recommend that you create a backup of the system before you install a major update. A tool like Paragon Backup & Recovery does the trick. It is free and I have used it for years for backups.

To summarize the official step-by-step instructions:

  1. Open the Start menu.
  2. Load Settings.
  3. Navigate to Windows Update.
  4. Check “Get the latest updates as soon as they’re available”.
  5. Activate the “check for updates” button.

Note: I recommend that you disable the “get the latest..” option after installation of the update again. You may end up with optional updates installed regularly otherwise.

There are multiple reasons why the feature update is not returned after you hit the button:

  • Microsoft is rolling out the update, pushing it to PCs first that it considers the most likely to install it without issues.
  • If a PC is affected by a known issue, it won’t get the update.
  • Driver or application compatibility issues may also block the update via Windows Update.

Thankfully, several other options exist to install the feature update.

Option 1: the Windows 11 Installation Assistant

What is it? The Windows 11 Installation Assistant is a free Microsoft program to upgrade the operating system to a new version.

  • Download the Windows 11 Installation Assistant from the Microsoft website.
  • Run the downloaded Windows11InstallationAssistant.exe file.
  • Select “yes” when the security prompt (UAC) is displyed.
  • Accept the terms.
  • The new version of Windows is downloaded.
  • Follow the on-screen instructions to upgrade the system.

Option 2: Using the latest Windows 11 ISO

What is it? A disk image holds the installation files for the operating system.

  1. Open the Microsoft Windows 11 download website.
  2. Scroll down to “Download Windows 11 Disk Image (ISO) for x64 devices”.
  3. Select Windows 11 (multi-edition ISO for x64 devices) from the menu.
  4. Activate the “Download Now” button.
  5. Select the desired language of the installation (you can change it later, if you make an error).
  6. Click on the 64-bit Download button.
  7. Use the save file dialog to save the ISO image to the local system.
  8. Right-click on the downloaded ISO image and select Mount from the context menu.
  9. Accept the request prompt to open the image on the device.
  10. Double-click on the setup.exe file to start the upgrade.

Note: the download link is valid for 24 hours. You also need to make sure that you choose to keep files and installed apps during installation.

There are other options, but not all are recommended for all users. You could download the Windows 11 ISO from another source, for example. This is only recommended if you trust the source.

Another option is provided by the open source tool Rufus. You may use it to download the latest Windows 11 ISO, mount it and run the installer. You may also burn the ISO to disc or copy it to a USB Flash drive instead.

Do you plan to install the new feature update, or have done so already? Feel free to write a comment down below.

Firefox

Firefox 131 ships with Tab Previews, Temporary Permissions, and other usability improvements

Posted on by Martin Brinkmann

Mozilla released a new version of the Firefox web browser today. Firefox 131.0 is the new stable version of the browser. It is available for all supported operating systems and introduces several new features and improvements.

The details:

  • Site permissions may now be granted temporarily to sites.
  • Firefox displays previews when hovering over tabs.
  • Firefox Translate supports Swedish.
  • Links to text snippets on websites can now be shared.
  • Security fixes.

Firefox 131.0: new features

Temporary permissions

Firefox temporary permissions

Firefox is not the first web browser to support temporary permissions, but it is still a welcome feature. The main idea here is to allow sites access to certain features only for the session by default.

You can still enable permanent permissions. This can be useful if you use a website or app regularly and do not want to be bothered by permission prompts each time you open it.

Firefox permanent permission

Firefox revokes the permission automatically after one hour or when the tab is closed. A click on the site icon reveals whether permissions are temporary or permanent.

Tab Previews

Firefox Tab Previews

Tab previews have finally arrived in Firefox 131.0. Just hover over any open tab in the Firefox web browser and you will get a visual preview of the site or app.

You also see the page title and domain name in the preview. Previews work for local and public pages in Firefox.

Firefox users who do not like the feature can turn it off easily:

  1. Load about:preferences#general in the address bar.
  2. Scroll down to the Tabs section on the page that opens.
  3. Uncheck “Show an image preview when you hover on a tab”.

Firefox will only show the page title and domain name from now on.

Linking to text fragments

This feature allows you to link to specific text on a webpage. There does not seem to be a context menu option yet for this, which makes it a bit hard to create this type of links.

To link to text, append #:~:text=TEXT to the address and replace TEXT with text that you want to link to on the page.

Note: Firefox will always pick the first instance of that text on the page. You may need to be specific, if multiple instances of the text are on the page.

Example: https://chipp.in/software/qbittorrent-5-0-is-now-available-with-a-massive-list-of-changes/#:~:text=qBittorrent%205.0

This address highlights the first instance of qBittorrent 5.0 on the linked page.

Check out Mozilla’s detailed instructions for using the feature here.

You can check out the full release notes here.

What is your take on these features? Feel free to leave a comment down below.