Starting January 14, 2020, Microsoft will no longer provide security updates, software updates and technical support for computers running Windows 7. Start upgrading the Windows 7 computers in your organizations or in your homes to Windows 10 ASAP.
This website, Windows 7 End of Life provides a nice countdown along with a calculator to determine how many computers you will need to upgrade per month, per week, or per day given the number of Windows 7 computers you have left to upgrade.
Nash Pherson, the creator of the Win 7 End of Life website also provides a nice PowerShell script to find all the Windows 7 computer objects remaining in your Active Directory. Great resource, Thanks Nash!
This is the Windows Lifecycle Fact Sheet for every Windows product available, which provides information for support timelines and more.
Starting with Windows 10 “19H1” or build 18237, you have likely encountered a blurred background on the login screen. Some users like this feature and some don’t. If you’d like to change the blurred effect to a clear image, then you can do it in two ways: 1. Group Policy or Local Policy 2. Registry setting
Change using Group Policy or Local Policy:
Launch the Group Policy Editor > gpedit.msc
In Group Policy Editor, go to: Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon
Enable the policy option: Show clear logon background
Restart the computer for good measure
Change using Registry setting:
Launch the Registry editor (make sure you backup the registry prior to making any changes) > regedit.exe
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\System
Create a new DWORD (32-bit) value: DisableAcrylicBackgroundOnLogon
Set the Value data to 1 to disable the blur effect on the login screen
Restart the computer
Now, you should have a clear login screen background.
Bulb Mode is a shutter speed option which can be used in Manual setting to capture subjects in long exposures such as fireworks, trailing lights, night sky, light painting, and other creative photo captures. In general, DSLR cameras limit shutter speed captures to a maximum of 30 seconds which can be limiting or too much depending on what subject is being captured. Using Bulb Mode, a photographer has the ability to control how long the shutter needs to stay open by pressing down on the shutter and then releasing for the desired exposure required for a particular shot.
On my Nikon DSLR cameras such as the D700, the Bulb option was straight forward to find under the Manual setting and scrolling the wheel for the shutter speed until the screen displayed “BULB”. On my Sony A6500 camera, I had difficulty locating Bulb Mode, with the maximum option of only 30 seconds available. I then realized that I had to change a few other settings which I had configured from the factory settings in order to activate Bulb mode.
If you are using the following settings below, you will not be able to set the shuttle speed to Bulb mode. In this case, the shutter speed will be limited to 30 seconds.
Smile Shutter
Auto HDR
Picture Effect is set to HDR Painting or Rich-tone Mono
Multi Frame NR
When Drive Mode is set to the following:
Cont. Shooting
Self-timer (Cont)
Cont. Bracket
Silent Shooting
Once you have reset the above settings, follow these steps to use Bulb mode on your Sony A6500 camera:
Set the mode dial to M (Manual Exposure).
Turn the control wheel counterclockwise until [BULB] is indicated.
Set the aperture value (F-value) by turning the control dial.
Press the shutter button halfway down to focus.
Press and hold the shutter button for the duration of the shot. The shutter will remain open as long as the shutter button is pressed.
Microsoft provides several Insider programs which you can participate to get a preview of the latest features and updates, as well as provide feedback to Microsoft for bugs, issues, and request features.
In case you are trying to figure out what Insider programs are available and how you can sign up to participate, see below for the individual programs.
