Raymond Chen recounts that Windows 7 added a right-click context menu to the classic vertical scroll bar, including a 'Scroll Here' option letting users jump directly to a clicked position instead of dragging the thumb. A lesser-known companion shortcut, holding Shift while clicking the scroll bar, does the same thing. He notes that most modern app frameworks have replaced native Win32 scroll bars with custom ones that only partially preserve these features: Chromium-based apps support Shift+click but not the context menu, WPF supports both, and WinUI supports neither.
devblogs.microsoft.com
· 2026-09-23
Microsoft confirmed that its September 8 Patch Tuesday update broke File History backups on Windows 11 (23H2 through 26H1) and Windows 10 ESU devices, causing errors like false 'reconnect drive' prompts and missing previous file versions. The company has released an optional preview update to fix the issue, though it currently does not apply to Windows 11 23H2 or Windows 10.
zdnet.com
· 2026-09-23
Microsoft has told IT administrators that the September 2026 security updates for Windows 11 versions 26H1, 25H2 and 24H2 can cause Always On VPN connections to fail when automatic protocol selection between IKEv2 and SSTP is enabled. Affected connections may get stuck in a 'Connecting' state or throw a 'port already in use' error on retry. Microsoft has not yet issued a permanent fix but recommends administrators manually set the VPN profile to use only SSTP or only IKEv2 as a workaround.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-23
Cisco Talos researchers identified a Go-based Windows malware called ClosedQuorum that queries Google Gemini, DeepSeek, Qwen, and Mistral to decide post-compromise actions without human input. The models vote on options such as credential theft, code injection, and persistence, with DeepSeek breaking ties, and stolen data is sent to attackers via a Discord webhook.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-22
Security researcher Abdelhamid Naceri published a new proof-of-concept exploit called BigDiskBuster that, when run in the background, prevents Microsoft Defender from installing platform or signature updates on any supported Windows version. Naceri describes it as similar to his earlier UnDefend exploit, and says the code is still buggy but demonstrates the concept clearly. This is the latest in a string of nearly a dozen Defender and Windows-related exploits he has released since April 2026 amid an ongoing dispute with Microsoft over his termination.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-22
Google offers ChromeOS Flex, a free operating system that can replace Windows on older machines meeting modest specs: an Intel or AMD CPU, 4GB RAM and 16GB storage, though chips from 2012 or earlier aren't supported. Installation involves using Chrome's Chromebook Recovery Utility to create bootable media on an 8GB-plus USB drive, then booting the target PC into its boot menu to install or trial the OS.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-21
Microsoft has reissued a reminder to enterprise IT admins that IE Mode, the legacy compatibility feature in Edge that runs sites using Internet Explorer's old Trident/MSHTML engine, will be discontinued by the end of 2029. The notice, sent via the Microsoft 365 admin center, reaffirms a 2021 commitment and asks organizations to begin planning now to migrate old applications away from IE dependencies.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-21
Microsoft announced it is retiring its Microsoft 365 companion apps—Calendar, People, and Files—effective December 16, 2026, after which they will stop functioning and lose support. The company is telling IT administrators to uninstall the apps from managed devices before that date. The move comes roughly a year after Microsoft began automatically pushing these taskbar-integrated apps to Windows 11 enterprise devices running Microsoft 365 desktop clients.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-21
A video of Vladimir Putin casting his ballot online in Russia's State Duma elections shows him using a Dell monitor and a Windows PC displaying the 'Activate Windows' watermark, indicating the copy of the operating system wasn't activated. The footage also shows Putin appearing unfamiliar with the interface, pausing and squinting as he navigates the voting process.
techspot.com
· 2026-09-21
Microsoft has acknowledged that its September 2026 security updates cause the legacy File History backup tool to fail on multiple Windows 10 and 11 versions. Affected PCs may show FileHistory.exe crashes in Event Viewer, false 'Reconnect your drive' warnings, and backups that stop updating even though the external or network drive is connected properly.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-21
Apple has enabled non-Apple users to participate in FaceTime calls through a web browser, a capability that has existed since 2021 with iOS 15 and macOS Monterey but remains largely unknown. An iPhone or Mac user must generate and share a FaceTime link, which Android and Windows users can open in an updated browser to join the call without installing any app.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-20
Windows 11 includes an Xbox mode feature that replaces the desktop with a full-screen, console-like gaming interface, though it isn't enabled by default. Users can turn it on and access it through Settings, keyboard shortcuts like Win + F11, the Game Bar, or the Xbox app, and can exit back to the desktop just as easily.
engadget.com
· 2026-09-20
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