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Anet A8 Build Guide to 1st Print

TechGuru
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Anet A8 Build Guide to 1st Print

Last week, I bought the Anet A8 printer for the low low price of £114 GBP. I believe it has brought the cost of 3D printing so low that every true hobbyist now owes it to themselves to look into owning one. During the process of building and customising our A8, we took a ton of notes in the hopes that it might prove useful to others. In this article, we’re dumping our build guide, set-up guide and upgrade guide in massive write-up. For those of you who recently purchased an Anet A8, we hope this helps you get started!

Anet A8 Build Log with Pictures

The printer came with a digital manual that can be accessed on the SD card that comes packaged with it. I was actually pretty impressed with the quality of the manual. Much like the manuals you get from Ikea, it expressed the entire process pictorially and I generally found it pretty easy to follow. It was, however, missing a section and really needed some extra pictures at certain points. To alleviate this, I used a video released by the Anet team in tandem with the written instructions. Here is part 1 of that video:

I took pictures of the process of building my Anet A8, which you can find by expanding the section below this paragraph. I want to note that this was my first 3D printer build and I screwed up in a few places (which I have documented). I would not use the pictures below as your sole source of information for building this printer.

Click here to view my complete build log

Setting up your Anet A8 for the First Print

The instructions terminate with a completed printer, but do not provide any guidance on how to do the first time set-up so that you can do your first print. I find this pretty unforgiveable – at this point you still have a considerable amount of set-up work to do! Anet provides a pretty handy “debugging” video which covers most of these steps, which you can find here:

I’ll also write out exactly what I did after building my printer:

Bed Covering Material

The printer bed of the A8 comes from the factory with a brown masking tape covering it. This isn’t just for shipping – Anet intends for you to print on top of this! In fact, painters tape is one of the better beginners bed printing materials. Hopefully you, unlike me, did not remove this tape.. Another material you can use is called Kapton tape, which is a tape which remains sticky in a wide range of temperatures. This will provide an arguably better printing surface. Luckily for me, I had some Kapton tape which we have used with our Lulzbot lying around so I put it on my Anet A8’s print bed.

The best solution for bed covering material is to buy a small block of glass to seat on top of the bed. This is discussed later.

Whatever bed material you use, make sure you get it sorted out and applied before you continue on to the next steps. Anytime the material is changed, you’ll need to re-level the bed at least.

Aligning the Z-Axis Rods

Finer alignment of the Z-Axis rods should be completed first. The Z axis motors should always move together and keep this alignment, so you basically set it now and check after every few hours of use. Misalignment here can cause the same symptoms as an unleveled bed. Furthermore, any time this is messed with, you’ll need to re-level your bed (and possibly set the z-axis limit switch).

Setting the Z-Axis Limit Switch

The limit switches are used to tell your printer where its “home” is. This location is then used as a relative point from which all the rest of your printing begins. Of all the limit switches, the Z-axis (vertical motor) limit switch is the most important. It is used to tell your printer where the point is where the extruder head is just slightly over the bed.

This limit switch will need to be adjusted. To perform this adjustment:

  1. Power up your printer and access the main menu.
  2. Go to Quick Settings->Home All. The printer head should move to all the limit switches.
  3. Disable the motors by going to Quick Settings->Disable Stepper Motor.
  4. Move the printer head X-axis and printer bed Y-axis so that the head is over the bed.
  5. Measure the distance between the tip of the extruder and the bed.
  6. Subtract 2mm from that distance and lower the Z-axis limit switch down that amount.
  7. Repeat step (2) to re-center everything against the limit switches.
  8. Repeat step (3) and check the extruder head. It should now be within 2mm of the bed, but not touching it.
  9. Continue to leveling the bed.
Leveling the Bed

Leveling your bed is probably most important calibration you can do. The procedure configures your printer so that your extruder tip is a set distance from the bed at all points across the bed. This allows the printer to accurately print the base layer of plastic which forms the foundation for everything you print.

Leveling the bed on the A8 should be accomplished at first set-up, every 5 or so prints after that, and anytime you move the printer or otherwise adjust it. In most cases, the process should only take about 5 minutes, so don’t worry about it too much.

If your prints are having problems where the base layer is not adhering to the bed properly – particularly if it is just one area of the bed that is having this problem – bed leveling is very likely to be the problem.

  1. Power up your printer and access the main menu.
  2. Heat the bed and extruder to PLA settings by going to Quick Settings->Preheat PLA. Do not touch the extruder tip after completing this step! It will be extremely hot. The bed will also be hot, but touchable.
  3. Go to Quick Settings->Home All. The printer head should move to all the limit switches.
  4. Disable the motors by going to Quick Settings->Disable Stepper Motor.
  5. Move the printer head along the X-axis and bed along the Y-axis so that it is over the close-left corner of the bed relative to you.
  6. Adjust the printer bed screw until you can just fit a piece of card stock paper (measuring .2mm in width) between the bed and the extruder tip. You want the tip to be hitting the cardstock but not pressing it into the bed. You can test this by moving the head with the card under the tip. If the card moves with the head, that’s great. You don’t want it to be hard to move or for it to make scratching noises while it drags on the paper though. You should be able to insert and remove the card easily.
  7. Repeat (4) and (5) for the other 3 corners of the printer bed.
  8. Repeat the whole process again, noting any errors.
  9. If any adjustments were made in step (7), repeat the process again. Keep repeating it until you check all four corners with no errors found at all.
  10. Screw on and tighten the wing nuts which secure the bed leveling mechanism.
  11. Repeat the leveling process one more time – sometimes the wing nuts can throw it off.

Your First Print

With the bed leveled, you’re ready to attempt your first 3D print. Before you do that, though, you need to understand the different types of printer input files and how to generate them.

STL

A 3D print generally starts with an STL file. This type of file describes a 3D part as a set of triangles is generated from a CAD modeling program like Sketchup, Blender, Solidworks, etc. These are also the types of files you download from online open-source 3D printing sites like Thingiverse, Yeggi and others. To read more about how to find or create your own STL files, check out our article on using 3D printing for drones.

GCode

3D printers do not have the capability to print an STL file, however. As sophisticated as they might look, they are actually controlled by pretty dumb little computers. These computers can only follow a very basic set of commands – like “move X-axis motor left 1mm”, “extrude filament .5mm”, “turn extruder temperature to 210 degrees”, etc. These sorts of simple commands are exactly what make up “.gcode” files.

An important thing to know about gcode files is they are compiled for the printer. A gcode file built for our Lulzbot Mini, for example, should not be used with the Anet A8 built in this article. It may work – but more likely it’s just going to make a wasteful, dangerous mess of stringy plastic.

Slicers – Converting STL to GCode

“Slicer” programs fill in the important middle ground of converting STL files you can download from the internet into the gcode instructions your printer needs to build a model. The Anet A8 SD card comes with two slicer programs – “Cura” and “Repetier”. We are going to recommend you use Cura in this guide since we are more familiar with it (it is the slicer of choice for our other 3D printer).

Printing your first gcode

For people who have never done a 3D print in their lives, I recommend you start out by printing one of the pre-compiled gcode files that is on the SD card that came with your A8. There are several options you can choose from, it doesn’t matter which one you pick. The objective is to see if your printer is properly put together and can print out something basic that has already been designed for it.

The process of printing a gcode file is a few easy steps:

  1. Put the file on the root of your SD card.
  2. Insert the SD card into your Anet A8 printer.
  3. Access the main menu by pressing the center button and select “SD Card->Mount”.
  4. Access “Print File”.
  5. Select the gcode file you wish to print.

The extruder head and bed will begin heating up immediately. Once they are up to temperature, the printing process will begin. Watch it carefully for the first few minutes to ensure the first layer is properly laid down onto the bed and is sticking fine. If it is – you’re free to walk away. If not, you’re in for some troubleshooting.

Printing some STL files

This is the real reason you likely got a 3D printer – you wanted to turn some camera mounts or other quadcopter parts from STL files into real plastic bits you can actually use. In this section, I’m going to walk you through how I printed out my first few STL files on my Anet A8.

Cura

As mentioned above, I will be using Cura as my “slicer” – the program that will convert STL files to gcode files the printer can use. I recommend using Cura 14.07 with the Anet A8. It is almost a year old at this point, but I was able to get it working very quickly.

Version 14.07 of Cura should come on the SD card that comes with the printer. You can find it under “A8*\A8*\A8\Software\Cura 14.07”. You can also download versions of Cura here. We highly recommend you download Cura 14.07.

I briefly tried to get the latest version of Cura – 2.5.0 – working, but was unable to due to some printing problems with the settings I was using. I will continue to attempt to get this to work and will update this guide if I figured it out. Honestly, though, unless you are trying to do some pretty advanced prints, Cura 14.07 should be more than enough for your needs. I have yet to find a model it could not print.

Configuring your Printer in Cura

Configuration of Cura is pretty simple. When you first launch the application, you’ll be prompted with the “Machine Creation Wizard”. Click “Next” to access the first configuration page.

In the next step, select “Custom”.

Finally, copy the settings seen in this screenshot on the next page:

With that completed, you’ve told Cura the hardware specs for your printer. You still need to configure it to tell it how to best print. I recommend doing this by loading a pre-programmed “profile” file from Anet. This profile can be found in the ini file on the SD card that comes with the printer (under “A8*\A8*\A8\Software\Cura 14.07”).

Once you have the file, load it into Cura by clicking File->Open Profile.

Generating your Gcode File

Now that Cura is set-up, you can start generating Gcode files that your Anet A8 can use to print objects. This process isn’t too difficult but has a small learning curve to it. To start “Load” an STL 3D model file into Cura using the button in the main window. Position the 3D object inside of the printing box where you want it. You can rotate, resize and move the object using tools which you can find in the main window of Cura. Once you’re done, you can create the GCODE file by clicking the “Toolpath to SD Card” button, which saves a GCODE file to an attached SD card.

From here, the printing process is identical to the steps above “Printing your first GCODE file”. Plug your SD card into your printer and cross your fingers!

Anet A8 Upgrades

Purchased Upgrades

Mosfet Upgrade – Highly Recommended for Safety

The extruder and hotbed FET drivers are one of the big weak points of this printer. Left to their own devices, they will slowly melt the plastic connectors on the main board where you plug in the extruder / hotbed wires. A couple of people have even reported smoking boards. For this reason, I highly recommend bypassing these FETs by using a specialized expansion board. Luckily, these are pretty cheap and readily available. I picked mine up for $16 on Amazon.

The installation process is pretty simple and covered in this guide:
https://3dprint.wiki/reprap/electronics/heatbed_mosfet

I did the mod on both my hotbed and extruder, though most people only suggest the hotbed. This removed all load from my Anet mainboard:

Borosilicate Glass Bed

The stock aluminum bed must be covered with painters tape or kapton tape to print well (or at all). This is a little frustrating to work with because it needs to be replaced regularly and it is extremely difficult to get it perfectly flat. The result is 3D prints that have imperfections on the bottom and issues with the first layer of the print.

The best workaround I’ve come across in the printing community is to use a glass sheet on your bed. You can have this sheet made by a local glass specialty store, or you can purchase one on Amazon. Living in a small community with no glass artisans, I opted for the latter. Unfortunately, Amazon only offers glass beds that are slightly smaller than the 220x220mm printing surface available on the A8. Here is the one I picked up: Signtek Heated Bed Glass Plate.

There are many ways to install a glass plate on the bed. I opted to just use Kapton tape to do it. Installation is relatively simple:

  1. Remove the heated bed.
  2. Place glass sheet in center of the bed plate.
  3. Use Kaptop tape to secure it.
  4. Screw heated bed back on.
  5. Re-level bed â€“ always necessary!

Printed Upgrades

This might be the coolest thing about the Anet A8 for me – when you first build it, you have a low-end 3D printer, but you can actually upgrade it to a pretty decent machine by simply using it to print out upgrades for itself. I find the notion of the machine improving itself pretty pleasing. Maybe I’m just a little weird though. Anyhow, here are some of the upgrades I printed for my Anet A8 that I can recommend to anyone:

High-Efficiency Extruder Cooling Fan Duct

Upgrading the fan duct had an immediate improvement on the quality of my 3D prints. Had I known what I do now, it would have been one of my first prints. Unfortunately, it is a pretty challenging object to print (it requires supports, among other things). So – if you’re new to 3D printing, don’t try this as your first print! But try it soon.

https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2133328
Spool Holder and Top Mount

Getting my filament spool attached to my Anet A8 was a top priority. I didn’t like having to place it on top of a workbench or cabinet. While I was at it, I printed a proper spool adapter / holder, which was a massive print which took almost 16 hours! I recommend both – they really improved the ergonomics of the printer.

Spool mount for A8: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:2162266
Spool holder for A8: https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1624641

Extruder Harness Chain

This is a feature that came with the higher-end Lulzbot mini we own that I wanted on my A8. It confines the movement of the wiring harness for the extruder to simple push-pull motions and protects the wiring. It looks really snazzy once completed.

Extruder harness chain for A8: http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1872473

More..

These are just my favorite parts I gathered off of Thingiverse. There are hundreds of parts on that site though. Simply search “Anet A8” to see them.

How to cancel your Spotify subscription

Richard Crouch
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How to cancel your Spotify subscription

Spotify recently came under fire for running recruitment ads for ICE, which ask users to “join the mission to protect America” and to “fulfill [their] mission,” in the US. Despite music labels calling on the streaming service to stop serving ICE recruitment ads, Spotify doubled down. A spokesperson for the company told The Independent that the ads are “part of a broad campaign” by the US government running across different channels and that they do not violate its policies. The spokesperson advised users to just mark ads with a thumbs up or down so that the app can learn their preferences.

In addition, several artists have pulled their music from Spotify recently over its CEO’s, Daniel EK’s, investments in European defense tech firm Helsing. The defense company builds drones, aircraft and submarines, and it also sells AI software that can analyze sensor and weapons data from battlefields. Spotify has been facing backlash for its payout rates, which artists argue are unfair and lower than what other services pay, over the past few years as well.

So if you want to cancel Spotify, whether for any those reasons or another one altogether, you can follow the instructions below.

How to cancel via web:

1. Log into your Spotify account in your browser.

2. Go to Account in the dropdown menu that shows up when you click on your Profile.

3. Find Cancel Subscription under the Subscription section.

4. Spotify will tell you that you’ll hear ads every 15 minutes on a free account, along with the date when your premium access will end. Click “Continue to cancel” at the bottom of the screen.

If you’re on mobile, make sure to request the desktop site after you log into your account on your mobile browser. Take note that if you’re part of a Spotify Family or Duo plan, only the plan manager will be able to cancel your subscription altogether. If you follow the same steps above as a member, you’ll only remove your account from the plan, but the manager will continue paying for it.

How to cancel via third-party provider:

If you pay for your subscription through third-party providers, you can follow these instructions instead.

Cancel via Google

1. Fire up the Google Play app and tap on the icon for the account you use.

2. Go to Payments & subscriptions.

3. Tap on Subscriptions.

4. Find Spotify among your subscriptions and tap on it.

5. Tap on Cancel Subscription at the bottom of the screen, select a reason for cancellation and confirm it.

Cancel via Apple

1. Go to Settings in your iPhone or iPad.

2. Tap on your name and go to Subscriptions.

3. Find Spotify and go through the cancellation process.

Cancel via carrier

Instructions for this may vary, depending on your carrier. Generally, however, you can follow these steps.

1. Log into your carrier account on its website.

2. Find the option to manage your subscriptions under your account.

3. Find Spotify and go through the cancellation process.

What happens after you cancel

You’ll still have access to Spotify’s premium features until your next billing cycle begins. That means you still won’t encounter ads and will have access to offline downloads, as well as unlimited skips and higher audio quality.

Microsoft Intune now allows organizations to disable Apple Intelligence features

Richard Crouch
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Microsoft Intune now allows organizations to disable Apple Intelligence features

Early this year, Apple announced Apple Intelligence, a new set of Generative AI features coming to Apple devices later this year. Apple Intelligence is powered by Apple’s generative models fine-tuned for user experiences like writing and refining text, prioritizing and summarizing notifications, and more.

Yesterday, Microsoft announced that its Intune mobile device management (MDM) and mobile app management (MAM) controls now allow IT admins to control Apple Intelligence features on Apple devices. Apple Intelligence features are available in iOS 18.1, iPadOS 18.1, and macOS Sequoia 15.1, and Intune will allow admins to control the usage of these features within their organizations.

The following Apple Intelligence features are now available to control via Intune:

  • Genmoji – If ‘false’, prohibits creating new Genmoji.
  • Image Playground – If ‘false’, prohibits the use of image generation.
  • Image Wand – If ‘false’, prohibits the use of Image Wand.
  • Personalized Handwriting Results – If false, prevents the system from generating text in the user’s handwriting.
  • Writing Tools – If ‘false’, disables Apple Intelligence writing tools.
  • Intelligence (Skip Key) – The key to skip the Intelligence pane in Setup Assistant.
  • Math Notes Mode – If present, configures the Math Notes mode of the calculator. If not present, math notes mode is enabled.
  • System Behavior > Math Notes – Controls whether Math Notes is allowed in other apps such as Notes.

So how can we manage Apple Intelligence with Intune ?

Yes, you guessed it there are some system requirements to using the new Apple Intelligence capabilities as only these iPhone devices have the necessary hardware to fully utilise the features. (Requires A17 Pro Chip).

When it comes to enabling /disabling Apple Intelligence features to Supervised (Intune managed) iPhone devices, a number of options are available through the ‘Setting Catalog’ (Note: Microsoft is gradually migrating Intune standard configuration templates into the settings Catalog). The current options available are included below, notice that this includes features for iOS, iPadOS and macOS with iOS having the widest options.

Apple Intelligence featureAvailable actionsOS versionIntune release
Allow Call RecordingIf ‘false’, call recording is disabled.iOS 18.1 and later. Supervised device required.2411
Allow External Intelligence IntegrationsIf ‘false’, disables the use of external, cloud-based intelligence services with Siri. iOS 18.2 and later, and macOS 15.2 and later.

On iOS, this restriction is temporarily allowed on unsupervised and user enrolments. In a future release, this restriction will require supervision and will be ignored on non-supervised devices.

The setting available in the settings catalog currently requires supervision.

In 2501, it will no longer require supervision.		2411
Allow External Intelligence Integrations Sign InIf false, forces external intelligence providers into anonymous mode. If a user is already signed in to an external intelligence provider, applying this restriction will cause them to be signed out when the next request is attempted. Available in iOS 18.2 and later, and macOS 15.2 and later.2411
Allow GenmojiIf ‘false’, prohibits creating new Genmoji.iOS 18.1 and later. Supervised device required.2408
Allow Image PlaygroundIf ‘false’, prohibits the use of image generation.iOS 18.1 and later and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later. Supervised device required.2408
Allow Image WandIf ‘false’, prohibits the use of Image Wand.iOS 18.1 and later. Supervised device required.2408
Allow Mail SummaryIf ‘false’, disables the ability to create summaries of email messages manually. This doesn’t affect automatic summary generation.iOS 18.1 and later and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later. Supervised device required.2411
Allow Personalised Handwriting ResultsIf false, prevents the system from generating text in the user’s handwriting.iOS 18.1 and later. Supervised device required.2408
Allow Writing ToolsIf ‘false’, disables Apple Intelligence writing tools.iOS 18.1 and later and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later. Supervised device required.2408
Intelligence (Skip Key)The key to skip the Intelligence pane in Setup Assistant.iOS 18.1 and later and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later. Supervised device required.2409
Math Notes ModeIf present, configures the Math Notes mode of the calculator. If not present, math notes mode is enabled.iOS 18.1 and later and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later. Supervised device required.2409
System Behaviour > Math NotesControls whether Math Notes is allowed in other apps such as Notes.iOS 18.1 and later and macOS Sequoia 15.1 and later. Supervised device required.2409
Notifications > Notification Settings > Notifications EnabledIf ‘false’, notifications will be disabled for this app and won’t be part of summarised notifications.iOS 9.3 and later and macOS 10.15 and later. Supervised device required.2207

While these are options available for management with Supervised devices, you will see Intune MAM controls in the future. As stated on the Microsoft website ‘only the Writing Tools feature is available in MAM protected applications‘

Configuring the features in Intune is as easy as navigating to:

Intune > Devices > iOS/iPadOS > Configuration > New Policy > Create New – Then follow the screens by adding settings. To find the Apple Intelligence settings, search for ‘Restrictions’ and choose those required as included in the above table noting versions and device types.

Its worth noting that just because non compatible iPhones cannot use the Apple AI capability, it doesn’t mean the policy will not deploy as per the image below when using my test iPhone XR device. For this reason creating a filter to target settings to compatible devices is advised. The potential impact is that non-functional features could be affected, also the performance of the device may slow the device down or users can experience unpredictably behaviour.

To create a filter navigate to Devices>Filters then select Create and choose ‘Managed devices‘. Add the filter using the device model property and add the relevant iPhone models.

Apple Intelligence with Intune – Conclusion

Apple Intelligence provides an easy interface within Intune to either enable or disable features and settings. From my personal testing the features definitely introduce some useful enhancements which help with the everyday use of the iPhone. With deeper integration between Apple and Microsoft, this too is a clear sign Apple are pushing their capability into the MDM space. Apple’s concentration on security along with device only data (not external servers) this will also help companies in their decisions to deploy especially with the granular controls offered through Intune’s settings catalogue. I think we will see new capabilities and enhanced control in 2025 which I will be testing and documenting as details unfold.

How do I set up an Xbox for my kid?

Richard Crouch
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How do I set up an Xbox for my kid?

As a parent I want to control my childrens access to Xbox and other Microsoft services. This guide will explain Microsoft Family and how to restrict both Windows computers and Xbox.

Q: My question is how best to set up an Xbox for my kid. I want to know how to control use time and whether I should use my email to set up. – Guillermo from Utah

A: You’re in luck! Console parental controls have come a long way from the days of hiding NES systems (or their controllers) from unruly kids. Microsoft, in particular, has made it very easy through its Xbox Family Settings app for iOS and Android, which supports Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One systems. Once you’ve added your kids to your Xbox family group, you’ll be able to manage and see reports of their playtime, restrict access to specific content, require parental approval for purchases and sort incoming friend requests. In typical Microsoft fashion, though, setting up Xbox family accounts can be a bit confusing, so let’s go over it step by step.

Xbox Family Settings App
Microsoft

How to set up an Xbox for your child

  1. Turn on your Xbox and sign in with your Microsoft account.
  2. Press the Xbox button on your controller, and head to Profile & system > Settings > account > Family settings > Manage family members.
  3. Choose Add to family > Add new.
  4. Unfortunately, Microsoft requires an email address for new accounts. You can either enter your child’s existing email if they have one, or choose the Get a new email option to create an Outlook email address. (This may seem a bit absurd for younger children, so if you don’t want to create an email for your 6 year old, you may be better off just physically controlling access to consoles like the old days.)
  5. Next, you’ll have to verify the addition of a new family group member. You can do so by either choosing This Xbox on the next screen and entering your Microsoft account details, or selecting Their phone/PC to have an email sent to you. In either case, you’ll have to consent to the new member.

What is a Microsoft child account?

In its documentation, Microsoft says “a child account is defined as any Microsoft account that’s affiliated with an adult Microsoft account when the age of the child or teen is less than the age of majority for their country or region.” These accounts are broken into “Child” and “Teen” categories, which specify age ranges between eight and 12, and 13 to 17. Microsoft notes there can be differences depending on location, like in South Korea where teen accounts range from 13 to 18.

Xbox Series X

Are there any issues with Microsoft child accounts?

As useful as the Xbox Family app and child accounts may seem, they can also lead to problems while playing Minecraft, according to comments on Reddit. Reddit user “Microdad_” said they weren’t able to gift a game to their child’s account, they had to deal with a buggy website to allow them to play Minecraft and after all of that trouble their child still can’t play in their realm. User “Electronic_Ocelot825” encountered similar issues, replying, “You are spot on. I go through same [sic] crap and it drives me to the point where I am furious.”

Have a tech question you’d like Digital City Support to answer?

As tech reporters, the Digital City Support staff is always answering questions from readers, friends and family about electronics, software, gaming, big tech policies and more. So we decided to write down our answers. If you’ve got a tech-related question you’d like us to answer for you, please email info@digitalcitysupport.com.

How To Speed up Windows 11

Richard Crouch
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0
How To Speed up Windows 11

Windows 11 is fast becoming the default Windows installation and upgrading can cause slowdowns and performance issues. This guide covers all the things i have come across to make your life easier and speed up Windows 11 for a better experience.

Step 1: Update your PC

1. Open the Settings App and go to “Windows Update => Check for updates “.

If any update is available, install it and then restart the PC.

Step 2: Change Power Mode

1. Open the Settings App and navigate to “System => Power & battery “.

2. Click on the “Power Mode” option and select the “Balanced” option from the list.

 

Step 3: Disable Restartable Apps

1. Navigate to “Settings => Accounts => Sign-in options “.

2. Toggle off the “Automatically save my restartable apps and restart them when I sign back in” option.

 

Step 4: Disable Startup Programs

1. Open the Settings App and navigate to “Apps => Startup“.

2. Turn off all the apps that you don’t want to run during the startup.

 

Step 5: Delete Temporary Files

1. Press the Windows key + R. Type %temp% and click OK.

2. Select all the temporary files and delete them. Skip those you cannot.

 

Step 6: Uninstall Unwanted Software

1. Navigate to “Settings => Apps => Installed Apps“.

2. Remove all the unwanted apps one by one. Click on the app and select “Uninstall“.

 

Step 7: Disable Game Mode

1. Navigate to “Settings => Gaming => Game Mode“.

2. Toggle off the “Gaming Mode” option.

Step 8: Disable Animation and Visual Effects

1. Navigate to “Settings => Personalization => Colors”.

2. Toggle off the “Transparency effects” option.

3. After that, go to the “Accessibility” section and select the “Visual Effects” option.

4. Toggle off the “Transparency effects” and “Animation effects” options.

5. Afterwards, search “View advanced system settings” in the search menu. Click “Open”.

6. A System Properties dialog box will appear. Under the Performance section, click “Settings“.

7. A Performance Options dialog box will appear. Select the “Adjust for best performance” option.

8. Click OK followed by Apply.

Step 9: Enable Storage Sence

1. Open the Settings App and navigate to “System => Storage“.

2. Toggle on the “Storage sense” option.

Step 10: Add More Memory

Add more RAM to the computer.  All laptops ship with 16GB RAM but with Windows 11 32GB is more optimal for heavier workloads.

Step 11: Defragment/Trim Hard Disk

1. Search “Defragment and Optimize Drive” in the search menu. Click “Open“.

2. Select the drive that you want to defrag/trim and click on the “Optimize” option.

Step 12: Reset Security App

To fix performance issues with the CPU and GPU on Windows 11 23H2/24H1

To fix performance problems on Windows 11, use these steps:

  1. Open Start on Windows 11.
  2. Search for PowerShell, right-click the top result, and select the Run as administrator option.
  3. Type the following command to change the execution policy and press Enter:

Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted

  • Type the following command to reset the Windows Security app and press Enter:

Get-AppxPackage Microsoft.SecHealthUI -AllUsers | Reset-AppxPackage

  • Restart the computer into the UEFI (BIOS) and turn on processor virtualization on your computer.

Quick tip: You can use these instructions to learn how to boot into the BIOS and enable hardware virtualization.

  • Start Windows 11 again.
  • Open the Windows Security app.
  • Click on Device Security.
  • Click the “Core isolation details” setting.
  • Turn on the Memory integrity toggle switch.
  1. Restart the computer.

Once you complete the steps, this process should resolve the performance issues on your computer after upgrading to Windows 11 23H2 from Windows Update or clean installation. (At least, this should improve the CPU performance.)

Step 13: Teams Teams Teams

Microsoft Teams is using all available resources and needs a reset.

Close teams down and head to %appdata%\Roaming\Microsoft\Teams and delete everything.

Head to the Microsoft Store and check for Teams updates\install and apply.

Step 14: Class Not Registered

Re-register All DLL Files

An app’s Dynamic Link Library (DLL) file might not be registered on your system. In fact, Visual C++ Redistributable is a DLL file that’s required to run apps and games built with Visual Studio.

If the above options aren’t working, you can re-register all of the DLL files on your PC to resolve the error.

To re-register DLL files:

  1. Press the Windows key and type CMD.
  2. Under the Command Prompt result on the right, click Run as administrator.A screenshot of a computer AI-generated content may be incorrect.
  3. When the prompt opens, type (or copy and paste) the following command and press Enter:

for %1 in (*.dll) do regsvr32 /s %1

  1. You’ll see each DLL file scroll by as it is re-registered on your system display in the prompt.A screenshot of a computer program AI-generated content may be incorrect.
  2. When the scrolling stops, close out of the Command Prompt and try to launch the problematic app.

Intune – A Rough Guide for Beginners

Richard Crouch
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0
Intune – A Rough Guide for Beginners

This setup is set for a Laptop which has not been imaged or sysprepped. I use it on W10/11 Pro editions of the OS.

Prepping the Machine

Plug the laptop in to the mains and plug an ethernet cable in that has internet access.

USB Drive

On a USB Drive Create a folder in the Root called Software.

In that Folder have the contents of an “ODT Installation” and also Install_Intune_Files.ps1, install_office.bat, restart.bat and Configuration.xml

Install_Intune_Files.ps1

Edit #1 There was an error in the code on section 4 which has been fixed by u/AnIdeal1st, thanks for your help there. I have also added a replacement for section 4, if you want the script to join azure without you authenticating. I have added what API settings need to be added for that in the script but hashed out. This was recommended by u/BackSapperr and can be seen in his reply here. You can see this under the first block of code as an alternative.

So it is now a team effort and thanks for all the suggestions.

function Show-Menu {
    Clear-Host
    Write-Host "=== Intune Integration Tool ==="
    Write-Host "1. Section 1 - Install NuGet"
    Write-Host "2. Section 2 - Windows Update"
    Write-Host "3. Section 3 - Install Office"
    Write-Host "4. Section 4 - Get Windows AutoPilot Info"
    Write-Host "5. Section 5 - Run all"
	Write-Host "6. Restart Machine"
}

function Execute-Section1 {
    # Section 1 - Install NuGet
    Install-PackageProvider -Name NuGet -MinimumVersion 2.8.5.201 -Force -Confirm:$false
}
function Execute-Section2 {
    # Section 2 - Windows Update
    Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned -Scope CurrentUser -Force
	    Write-Host "Installing PSWindowsUpdate module..."
    if (-not (Get-Module -Name PSWindowsUpdate -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
        Install-Module PSWindowsUpdate -Force -Confirm:$false
    }

    Write-Host "Getting available Windows updates..."
    Get-WindowsUpdate -Verbose -acceptall

    Write-Host "Installing Windows updates..."
    Install-WindowsUpdate -Verbose -acceptall
    }

function Execute-Section3 {
    # Section 3 - Install Office and Add to AutoPilot
    Invoke-Expression -Command ".\install_office.bat"
}

function Execute-Section4 {
    Write-Host "Setting New Enviromental path..."
	$newPath = "C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Scripts"
	$newPathWithExisting = "$newPath;$existingPath"
	[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", $newPathWithExisting, "Machine")
	$env:PATH = $newPathWithExisting

	# Set PSGallery as trusted...
	Write-Host "Set PSGallery as trusted..."
	Set-PSRepository -Name PSGallery -InstallationPolicy Trusted
	
	# Section 4 - Get Windows AutoPilot Info
    Write-Host "Installing Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo script..."
    install-script get-windowsautopilotinfo

    Write-Host "Running Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo script online..."
    Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo.ps1 -Online

}

function Execute-Section5 {
    Execute-Section1
    Execute-Section2
    Execute-Section3
    Execute-Section4
    Execute-Section6
}

function Execute-Section6 {
    # Section 6 - Restart Machine
    Restart-Computer
}

while ($true) {
    Show-Menu
    $choice = Read-Host "Enter your choice (1-6)"
    switch ($choice) {
        "1" {
            Execute-Section1
        }
        "2" {
            Execute-Section2
        }
        "3" {
            Execute-Section3
        }
        "4" {
            Execute-Section4
        }
        "5" {
            Execute-Section5
        }		
        "6" {
            Write-Host "Exiting..."
            break
        }
        default {
            Write-Host "Invalid choice. Please enter a valid option (1-6)."
            Read-Host -Prompt "Press Enter to continue..."
        }
    }
}

Alternative section 4 which auto enrolls in Intune

Execute-Section4 {
    Write-Host "Setting New Enviromental path..."
	$newPath = "C:\Program Files\WindowsPowerShell\Scripts"
	$existingPath = (Get-Item -Path "HKLM:\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Environment" ).GetValue('Path', '', 'DoNotExpandEnvironmentNames')
	$newPathWithExisting = "$newPath;$existingPath"
	[Environment]::SetEnvironmentVariable("PATH", $newPathWithExisting, "Machine")

	# Set PSGallery as trusted...
	Write-Host "Set PSGallery as trusted..."
	Set-PSRepository -Name PSGallery -InstallationPolicy Trusted
	
	# Section 4 - Get Windows AutoPilot Info
    #Write-Host "Installing Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo script..."
    #install-script get-windowsautopilotinfo

    #Write-Host "Running Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo script online..."
    #Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo.ps1 -Online
	#Variables 
	$TenantID = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" 
	$AppID = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" 
	$AppSecret = "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" 
	
	#API Permissions
	#All Microsoft Graph
	#Application
		#DeviceManagementManagedDevices.ReadWrite.All
		#DeviceManagementServiceConfig.ReadWrite.All
	#Delegated
		#User.Read
	
	#RegisterDevice
	Set-ExecutionPolicy Unrestricted -Force
	Install-PackageProvider NuGet -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
	Install-Script Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo -Force
	Get-WindowsAutoPilotInfo -Online -TenantId $TenantID -AppID $AppID -AppSecret $AppSecret

Install_Office.bat

setup.exe /configure Configuration.xml

Configuration.xml (this is configured to our setup, you will need to set whats best for you)

<Configuration ID="3506e8f3-ba41-4764-a767-79fe90edf9fc">
  <Add OfficeClientEdition="64" Channel="Current">
    <Product ID="O365BusinessRetail">
      <Language ID="en-gb" />
      <ExcludeApp ID="Groove" />
      <ExcludeApp ID="Lync" />
    </Product>
  </Add>
  <Updates Enabled="TRUE" />
  <RemoveMSI />
  <AppSettings>
    <User Key="software\microsoft\office\16.0\excel\options" Name="defaultformat" Value="51" Type="REG_DWORD" App="excel16" Id="L_SaveExcelfilesas" />
    <User Key="software\microsoft\office\16.0\powerpoint\options" Name="defaultformat" Value="27" Type="REG_DWORD" App="ppt16" Id="L_SavePowerPointfilesas" />
    <User Key="software\microsoft\office\16.0\word\options" Name="defaultformat" Value="" Type="REG_SZ" App="word16" Id="L_SaveWordfilesas" />
  </AppSettings>
</Configuration>

Insert the USB Drive in to the laptop.

PowerShell

Boot up the laptop to the first OOBE menu.

Open a CMD window by pressing Shift + F10. Depending on the machine you may have to press the Fn button too.

With the CMD window now open type in the word “PowerShell” and press enter.

In the PowerShell window navigate to the USB drive and then to the Software folder.

run the PowerShell script Install_Intune_Files.ps1

You will now see a menu with different options.

Section 1 NuGet is needed to run the Windows Updates

Section 2 Performs a windows update of the PC.

Section 3 Installs the Microsoft Office Suite

Section 4 Adds the files required to join the PC to Azure AD

Section 5 runs all of the above.

Section 6 doesn’t actually work!

Starting the Process

Press option 5 to start running all of the updates and installations. You will be prompted after the windows update has finished to restart the PC. Press N for no for the next part of the script to run.

Office will install and will then confirm with you that it has gone through successfully.

Finally after the Office suite is installed it will start the process of running Autopilot files and to join the device to AAD. You will be prompted to insert your o365 credentials, do this and allow it to complete. This adds the machine as a device in Microsoft Endpoint Manager.

Once the script comes to an end press “Control + C” to exit the menu, Type “Exit” to close PowerShell and to return to the CMD Line.

When at the command line type “Shutdown -R -T 0” to immediately restart the machine.

Restarting and Post Restart

After a restart the device usually goes through am automatic bios update (if there was one available for that device) and then boots to the login window with the branded logo’s. You need to wait 5-10 minutes for the machine to successfully add itself in to AAD before logging in.

Starting Autopilot

When at the login windows press the windows key on the keyboard 5 times. If this errors then you must wait longer for the machine to add itself to AAD or manually run the install of Autopilot again.

The window will change and you will be shown 3 options. Select “Windows Autopilot provisioning”. This will start Autopilot and will download settings, policies and some apps to the machine.

When finished you will be shown a green window  and have the option to “Reseal” the OS. Reseal it and the device is now ready for the user.

Thats how I setup my intune devices. Obviously this is after intune and MEM has already been setup in the background. Hopefully this might make the setup slightly easier for someone else but also for someone to give me some tips.

The script still needs some work, currently I have to say No to a restart after OS updates and also click close on the o365 installation. I’ll tackle those as and when I get time!

Microsoft is opening Windows Update to third-party apps

Richard Crouch
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0
Microsoft is opening Windows Update to third-party apps

Microsoft is previewing a Windows Update orchestration platform for app developers and management tool vendors, aiming to centralize update scheduling across Windows 11 devices.

On Tuesday, Redmond announced it’s allowing a select group of developers and product teams to hook into the Windows 11 update framework. The system doesn’t push updates itself but allows apps to register their own update logic via WinRT APIs and PowerShell, enabling centralized scheduling, logging, and policy enforcement.

“Updates across the Windows ecosystem can feel like a fragmented experience,” wrote Angie Chen, a product manager at the Borg, in a blog post. “To solve this, we’re building a vision for a unified, intelligent update orchestration platform capable of supporting any update (apps, drivers, etc.) to be orchestrated alongside Windows updates.”

As with other Windows updates, the end user or admin will be able to benefit from intelligent scheduling, with updates deferred based on user activity, system performance, AC power status, and other environmental factors. For example, updates may install when the device is idle or plugged in, to minimize disruption.

All update actions will be logged and surfaced through a unified diagnostic system, helping streamline troubleshooting. Microsoft says the platform will support MSIX/APPX apps, as well as Win32 apps that include custom installation logic, provided developers integrate with the offered Windows Runtime (WinRT) APIs and PowerShell commands.

At the moment, the orchestration platform is available only as a private preview. Developers must contact unifiedorchestrator@service.microsoft.com to request access. Redmond is taking a cautious approach, given the risk of update conflicts, but may broaden availability depending on how the preview performs.

Meanwhile, Windows Backup for Organizations, first unveiled at Microsoft Ignite in November 2024, has entered limited public preview. Redmond touts the service as a way to back up Windows 10 and 11 devices and restore them with the same settings in place. It’s saying it’ll be a big help in migrating systems to the more recent operating systems after Windows 10 goes end of life in October.

“With Windows Backup for Organizations, get your users up and running as quickly as possible with their familiar Windows settings already in place,” Redmond wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. “It doesn’t matter if they’re experiencing a device reimage or reset.”

One could also imagine it being useful in the case of a malware or ransomware infection – instead of paying the fee, orgs could wipe the affected machines, restore them from their backups, and be on their way with minimal disruption.

But we’re not sure, because further documentation about exactly how the backup-restore process works is scarce at this point. You’ll have to sign up for the trial here and let us know what you learn when you get in.

Orgs will have to jump through some hoops in order to qualify, however. Microsoft says the minimum requirements for basic backups include a supported version of Windows 10 or 11, and devices must be Microsoft Entra joined or hybrid joined. To restore those settings on new or reimaged PCs, you’ll also need Windows 11 version 22H2 or later, an active Microsoft Intune test tenant with administrator permissions, and enrollment in the Microsoft Management Customer Connection Program.

Windows 10 is still the most used of Redmond’s operating systems, so Redmond is doing what it can to spur migrations to the new system. Having the ability to backup and restore settings could help ease corporate users through the upgrade process.

What Is the God Mode Folder in Windows 10, and How Do I Enable It?

Richard Crouch
-
0
What Is the God Mode Folder in Windows 10, and How Do I Enable It?

What if Windows let you quickly access administrative tools, backup and restore options and other important management settings from a single window? If that sounds good, look no further than the so-called “God Mode.”

What Is God Mode?

No, God Mode doesn’t unlock any extra secret features in Windows or let you do any tweaking that you can’t do in the regular Windows interface. Instead, it’s simply a special folder you can enable that exposes most of Windows’ admin, management, settings, and Control Panel tools in a single, easy-to-scroll-through interface.

And yes, you can also find a lot of this stuff by searching the Start menu, but to do that, you kind of need to know what you’re looking for begin with. The God Mode folder offers an easier way to browse through 206 of these tools and get to know them.

By the way, “God Mode” is just a popular name some people give this special folder. You can name the folder anything you like—including How-To Geek Mode, for example.

Here are the categories of tools you’ll find in God Mode:

  • Administrative Tools
  • AutoPlay
  • Backup and Restore
  • Color Management
  • Credential Manager
  • Date and Time
  • Devices and Printers
  • Ease of Access Center
  • File Explorer Options
  • File History
  • Fonts
  • Indexing Options
  • Infrared
  • Internet Options
  • Keyboard
  • Mouse
  • Network and Sharing Center
  • Pen and Touch
  • Phone and Modem
  • Power Options
  • Programs and Features
  • Region
  • RemoteApp and Desktop Connections
  • Security and Maintenance
  • Sound
  • Speech Recognition
  • Storage Spaces
  • Sync Center
  • System
  • Tablet PC Settings
  • Taskbar and Navigation
  • Troubleshooting
  • User Accounts
  • Windows Defender Firewall
  • Windows Mobility Center
  • Work Folders

Each of these categories contains any number of tools and might even be divided into further subcategories, meaning that you’re likely to find nearly anything you’re looking for.

Enabling God Mode in Windows 10

To make this work, you must be using an account with administrative privileges. Go to your desktop and create a new folder by right-clicking any open area, pointing to “New” on the context menu, and then clicking the “Folder” command.

The new folder icon will appear.

Now, rename the folder to the following:

GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}

To use a name other than GodMode, just replace “GodMode” in the above text with whatever you want to name the folder. The characters that follow (including the period) must remain exactly as listed above. If you remove “GodMode” without adding any text in its place, you’ll receive the following error.

Once you’ve properly renamed the folder, you’ll notice the folder icon change to a control panel icon.

Double-click the icon to open the newly-created God Mode. The major categories are organized alphabetically and so are the more than 200 settings you’ll find within those categories.

While it’s certainly handy for getting to know the official names of all the Windows tools, you’ll probably find (like we did) that it’s faster to search for them through the Start menu. Still, the God Mode folder offers a handy introduction to all the tools available and a great way to search for things when you’re not quite sure what they’re named.

How to Hide Taskbar on Second Monitor in Windows 11

Richard Crouch
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0
How to Hide Taskbar on Second Monitor in Windows 11

When you have a dual monitor set up on your PC or just connected your laptop to a second monitor, you might not want to see the taskbar everywhere. There will be one main display where you want the taskbar. In such cases, you can hide the taskbar from your second monitor, if you are on Windows 11.

Let’s see how you can hide the taskbar from the secondary display in Windows 11.

Hide Taskbar from Second Monitor in Windows 11

When you want a full-screen experience on your second monitor, there is no need to show the taskbar there. Since you can see the taskbar from the main monitor and control apps from there, we will see how we can hide the taskbar from the second monitor in Windows 11.

By default, the taskbar will be visible on both your monitors as shown below.

From the Windows 11 Settings window, click to expand the option “Taskbar behaviors” at the bottom.

Once the settings are shown, uncheck the option “Show my taskbar on all displays.” The setting will be set to enabled by default. You can uncheck this to hide the taskbar from the second monitor in Windows 11.

Once you uncheck the above option, you will see the taskbar only in your primary monitor. See the picture below.

However, this will depend on which monitor you set as your secondary display. If you set your second monitor as your primary monitor, the taskbar will only be shown in the same.

Start11 Release Candidate 2 out for Windows 11 with fixes and full screen Start menu option

Richard Crouch
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0
Start11 Release Candidate 2 out for Windows 11 with fixes and full screen Start menu option

Exactly a week after releasing Start11 Release Candidate 1, Stardock has today announced the availability of the Release Candidate 2 update for Start11, a program that allows users to customize the Windows Start menu and taskbar. This update enables the ability to hide the recently installed applications list for both Windows 10 and 11 menu styles, an optional full-screen menu for Windows 10 and 11 styles, the ability to hide “recent document list” in the Windows 11 menu style and more.

As with previous editions of StartX products, Start11 allows users to restore the Start menu to appear as it does in previous versions of Windows, as well as customize and enhance its functionality. Release Candidate 2 has also added an option to change individual tile colors for the Windows 10 menu style and enables wider tile groups too.

Start11 is designed for Windows 11 and Windows 10 and comes loaded with features intended to make Windows more productive and personal. Start11 supports moving the Start button to the middle or to the left, adjusting the taskbar size, re-ordering quick access shortcut lists, options for adjusting grid spacing, enhanced classic and modern search experiences and much more.

As a reminder of what you get with Start11, here are a few of its highlights:

  • Returning the Start menu to the appearance of previous versions of Windows
  • Enhancing Windows 10 and Windows 11 menus with new functionality
  • Repositioning the taskbar to the top of the desktop for Windows 11
  • Windows 10 style taskbar context menu for Windows 11
  • Improving the classic and modern search experiences

With Release Candidate 2, the full-screen menu feature makes it easier to use Windows 10 or 11 on a tablet. When paired with the new option to adjust icon sizes for Windows 10 and 11 style menus, Start11 significantly improves the tablet experience.

For users who want to personalize their Start menu, Start11 offers robust customization options ranging from aesthetic to functional. Start11 supports a host of new Start menu ideas such as the concept of pages, minimalism, and features for enterprise customers.

New Features in Release Candidate 2

  • Option to hide “recently installed” applications list for Windows 10/11 menu style
  • Full-screen menu option for Windows 10/11 menu styles – great for tablets!
  • Hide “recent document list” in Windows 11 menu style
  • Enhanced support for wider tile groups in Windows 10 style menu
  • Enabled ability to change the background color of individual Windows 10 menu items
  • Options to adjust icon sizing for Windows 10/11 style menus
  • Animations now support 240hz

Here is the full changelog:

  • Tweaked quick access link popup menus to resolve an issue where they may not close on loss of focus correctly
  • Tweaked quick access link popup menus to not cause a menu close when closing one and opening another via clicking directly
  • Fixed paint issue on Win11 menu quick access links area when switching between monitors
  • Fixed appearance typo in config
  • Fixed crash introduced by some RC1 work with quick access link menus
  • Added support for quick access menus in Win10/11 style. They do not auto-expand on mouseover but require a click to open
  • Holding down shift when clicking on a quick access link that’s a menu will open it as a window where possible
  • Added missing W filter option in all apps for Win10/11 style
  • Fixed issue with quick access menus not always closing on loss of focus
  • Fixed issue with Win10/11 apps list loading up icon for application exe vs shortcuts
  • Fixed issue with Win10/11 apps list not loading up multiple shortcuts to apps in some circumstances
  • Fixed issue with Win10/11 pinned items lists loading up app exe icon vs shortcut exe
  • Fixed issue with Win10/11 pinned apps not launching correct shortcut but exe instead
  • Added option to hide recent documents on Win11 menu
  • Added option to change icon size on Win10 and Win11 menus
  • Added option to change tile color on Win10 style menu
  • Pressing escape when in all programs list in Win11 style menu simply goes back to the previous page now rather than closing
  • Fixed drag & drop offset issue in Win7/Modern menu styles
  • Limited Win10/11 menu size based on current screen resolution
  • Fullscreen mode for Win10/11 menus
  • Fixed Win11 menu rearranging issue where items would sometimes rearrange inconsistently especially after a lot of rearranging
  • Dragging on the Win11 menu no longer highlights the page title area
  • Fixed Win7/Modern Quick access links showing as menus will now open correctly when clicked
  • Prevented Win7/Modern quick access link menus popping up under the menu
  • Win7/Modern quick access link menus now dark mode aware
  • Fixed universal apps quick access menu potential crash issue
  • Win7/Modern quick access menus now have rounded corners when rounded menu mode is enabled
  • Fixed pinning from Pin to Start11 from explorer menus pinning items to first index in list for Win11 style menu
  • Fixed pinning issue for Win10 menu replacing last entry in pinned list when pinned from explorer windows or search page
  • Added missing run as admin option on store apps which support it on Windows 10/11 menu (Terminal etc)
  • Internal frame rate for animations moved to 240hz
  • Fixed issue with mouse getting attached to the top of the menu when opening the menu with Start11 search disabled
  • Fixed issue with clock and tray area missing when using custom start button on Windows 11 Dev channel builds
  • Fixed issue with custom start button left visible after disabling custom start button or making button centered on Windows 11 (believed to be Dev channel only again)
  • Fixed issue on Win11 menu where creating a new page when on a lower page number caused the page to be inserted as a group on the next page instead
  • Fixed issue on Win11 menu where deleting pages could cause a blank page to appear
  • Tweaks to button handling on Win11 when not using custom start button
  • Config UI now responds to touch input
  • Rearranging quick access shortcuts list in Win10/11 styles now saves the changes correctly
  • Fixed scrolling on menus using MS precision touchpad
  • Now able to scroll menus using touch and drag items – to drag an item either drag sideways initially or hold down until you get the right-click indicator box and then drag the item if the list has a scrollbar, otherwise drag as usual.
  • Fixed possible crash issue when moving things on the Win10/11 grids
  • Adds support for wider groups in Win10 style
  • Fixed Win11 style to show user name as friendly name vs account name
  • Fixed issue with Win11 style losing shutdown button if you set Win7/Modern style to have a very high number of icons on display or lots of grid columns
  • Fixed quick access shortcuts showing display as menu sometimes incorrectly for Win10/11 style
  • Stopped jumplists showing for MS store and settings as blank
  • Fixed issue with being able to get multiple menu options on config appear in mouseover state
  • Added option to hide recently installed applications section in Win10/11 all apps list
  • Fixed changing icon size on Win7/modern menu requires two opens of the menu to see the change fully
  • Fixed desktop search carried out last so didn’t always appear in results as quickly as wanted
  • Fixed search getting stuck in some searches
  • Fixed issue with taskbar at the top of the screen losing the mouse over thumbnails on one monitor if multiple monitors on Windows 11
  • Fixed clicking very left of the leftmost start button can open Win11 menu on Windows 11
  • Fixed explorer hang issue if replacing start button on computer with multiple monitors (3 ideally)
  • Fixed start menu open offset issue on multiple monitor setups with centered start button
  • Fixed Cortana search mode causing Start menu to close when renaming a group/anything else
  • All apps list for Win10/11 modes now also includes url files and help documents etc
  • Removed surplus MS edge link in all apps
  • Double-clicking on the style image opens the settings drop down in the config now

Start11 is currently available for $4.99. There is an upgrade option for users of Start8 and Start10. For more information, visit www.stardock.com.

Object Desktop includes programs such as Fences, Start10, Groupy, SoundPackager, DeskScapes, and Multiplicity.

Windows 11 performance patch for AMD Ryzen CPUs reportedly rolling out next week

TechGuru
-
0
Windows 11 performance patch for AMD Ryzen CPUs reportedly rolling out next week

Recently it came to light that AMD’s Zen-based chips had performance issues on Windows 11. AMD had identified a couple of problems, the first related to the Level 3 (L3) cache latency that would impact games and other latency-sensitive applications. While the other problem was related to Collaborative Processor Performance Control (CPPC) whereby the fastest CPU core was not scheduled properly when needed. You can read about it in more detail here.

The issue in fact was detected on officially supported AMD processors, ie, Zen+ and newer, which meant the performance hiccup wasn’t due to something like Virtualization-based Security (VBS) that is known to heavily impact 1st gen Zen processors.

Thankfully, both AMD and Microsoft stated that patches for the two issues were heading out within this month and today, Wccftech claims it has received information regarding the purported release dates. According to the site, both the issues have been resolved and the patches will begin rolling out in a week’s time.

  • The CPPC issue has been resolved. The AMD driver power profile is in the release process and targeted for GA release on 10/21. If it is needed before GA, AMD can share the driver directly with customers upon request.
  • The L3 cache latency issue has been resolved by Microsoft. Microsoft plans to release the fix in their 10C Windows Update which is targeted for 10/19.

Essentially, Wccftech says that an update for Windows 11 that lands next week would add the fix for the L3 cache latency problem, while the UEFI CPPC2 patch will be generally available a couple of days after that.

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