windows

Microsoft recently dismissed rumors which suggest that PC sales have slowed and are hurting Windows 7 and other Microsoft products. The response was meant to calm Wall Street investors, shortly after JP Morgan analyst Christopher Danely stated that ... PC makers Hewlett-Packard (HP) and Acer had slashed their production of semiconductors due to slacking demand. "We expect the weakness to show up in every end market for semiconductors, just as it always has during downturns," Danely said. "We continue to be cautious on the space due to the large amount of capacity coming online combined with ... (view more)

Microsoft two weeks ago cut support for its Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2), essentially leaving millions of XP users without software updates to patch MS Windows from exploits (and hackers). However, a security researcher has revealed a new hack ... that can help SP2 users get access to the support many thought was forever lost. Microsoft's decision to cut tech support for SP2 was a controversial move, particularly when a shortcut flaw affecting the operating system emerged at the same time. SP2 users remain more exposed than users of Windows XP SP3 through Windows 7. (Source: neoseeker.com ) ... (view more)

Microsoft is reportedly investigating a new kernel flaw affecting all versions of the Windows operating system (OS), including the new Windows 7. The investigation began on Friday after an Israeli researcher alerted Microsoft to the issue. In ... computing, the kernel is the central component of an operating system which is responsible for bridging software programs to hardware inside the computer. Microsoft says it is working on the issue and will release a patch once it's ready. "Microsoft is investigating reports of a possible vulnerability in Windows Kernel," said the software company's Jerry ... (view more)

Microsoft has faced the first major test of its policy to phase out support for some versions of Windows XP. A major security patch last week was only available to users who had upgraded to the third and final Service Pack (SP3). As previously ... reported, Microsoft issued an out-of-cycle update (known more casually as an emergency pack) to patch a Windows shortcut flaw. The issue was particularly serious because it meant machines could be hacked if a user opened a folder containing the infected shortcut file, even if they didn't click on the shortcut itself. The shortcut flaw was such a clear ... (view more)

K-Lite Codec Pack Update 6.2.6 The K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of DirectShow filters, VFW/ACM codecs, and tools. Codecs and DirectShow filters are needed for encoding and decoding audio and video formats. The K-Lite Codec Pack is designed as a ... user-friendly solution for playing all your audio and movie files. http://www.codecguide.com Windows Error Lookup Tool (WELT) 2.0.5 When a program goes awry, MS Windows often displays error codes in decimal, hex that don't mean a whole lot to an end user. With the Windows Error Lookup Tool (WELT), you can type in an error code and WELT will ... (view more)

Microsoft's Windows Shortcut Flaw has certainly grabbed headlines these past few weeks. Fortunately, the company looks ready to move beyond the sensational headlines with a new, permanent fix due out later today. A flaw associated with .LNK ... (shortcut files) in Windows 2000 through Windows 7 was first discovered about two weeks ago by security researchers. At first, the issue involved industrial firm Siemens and could only be transmitted through infected USB key, variants of the bug have spread to common Windows users. Worse yet, researchers found that merely plugging a compromised USB stick ... (view more)

MusicBee 1.2.3861 MusicBee is a program that manages extensive music collections. It organizes, finds and plays music files on your computer, on portable devices and on the web. http://getmusicbee.com Apple Safari for Windows 5.01 Safari is a ... graphical web browser developed by Apple and has now been recently ported over to Microsoft Windows. Its first release was on 2003 and has been Apple's default browser beginning with Mac OS X v10.3 "Panther." Safari is also the native browser for the iPhone. http://www.apple.com This freeware software program is brought to you by MajorGeeks.com ... (view more)

Two third-party software companies have come together to release temporary fix for a highly contagious and critical zero-day flaw which affects all versions of the Windows operating system (OS). The security flaw, which Microsoft says it knows about ... and is working on a permanent patch towards, makes users of Windows 2000 through Windows 7 vulnerable to attack if they open a desktop folder packing an infected .LNK file extension. Microsoft Temp Fix Not Popular Microsoft last week released its own temporary solution in the form of a workaround, but few users were very fond of a solution that ... (view more)

A serious security flaw affecting Windows shortcuts could pose a significant risk to critical global infrastructure, says a new report from security research firm Sophos. Power grids and manufacturing plants could soon be targeted by a flaw that ... researchers say has already been exploited by hackers. "Early versions of the malware have been programmed to seek out SCADA software (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) by Siemens Corporation, which is used in managing industrial infrastructures, such as power grids and manufacturing plants," said Sophos. Security Firms Fear Growing Threat ... (view more)

Microsoft has unveiled an updated edition of its free security software, dubbed Microsoft Security Essentials. The new edition of Security Essentials is currently in beta edition and offers several new features. Debuting in September 2009, Microsoft ... Security Essentials replaces Windows Live OneCare which was based on a paid subscription model. At the time, OneCare was seen as a potential threat to the commercial cyber security market. (Source: pcworld.com ) Although there's no evidence yet of a significant effect on sales of premium security products, most reviews of Microsoft Security ... (view more)