A valid Microsoft Windows product key is required to reinstall Windows if the hard drive has to be replaced.
This key can be found for some PCs with OEM Windows licenses by opening a Command Prompt (right-click and select “Run as Administrator”).
At the command prompt, type:
wmic path SoftwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey
Microsoft recommends following these steps to fix Windows activation issues.
Microsoft announced the release of Windows 11 on June 24, 2021. Windows 11 is set to be released on October 5, 2021.
Some of the changes include changes to the Microsoft Store and apps, as well as a new partnership with Amazon to bring their catalog of Android apps and games to Windows users.
Windows 11 will be available as an update to existing Windows 10 devices that meet its specifications. Windows 11 requires a Trusted Platform Module (TPM 2.0) chip. Minimum hardware and Processor requirements for Windows 11 and other versions are also available. These requirements apply to physical PCs and Virtual Machines (VMs). Users can run a PC Health Check app to see if their current PC is compatible to run Windows 11.
If Windows 11 is installed on devices that do not meet these requirements, security updates may not be available, and kernel mode crashes may occur more often.
Microsoft will end support for Windows 10 Home and Pro on October 14, 2025.
More information can be found at microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11.
Major technology companies will hold their annual developer conferences in the summer of 2021:
Microsoft now has made their Edge browser Chromium compatible with its latest release on January 15, 2020. New Edge browser extensions are also available.
The new Microsoft Edge will replace Microsoft Edge Legacy with the Windows 10 Update on on April 13, 2021. Other changes include vertical tabs and new privacy settings.
Internet Explorer Mode in Microsoft Edge is available to view older websites that do not run as intended using modern web browsers.
Update: Internet Explorer 11 desktop application will be retired on June 15, 2022 for certain versions of Windows 10. Internet Explorer 11 will be permanently disabled with an Edge browser update. More information on this is available at the FAQ page.
Adobe no longer supports Flash Player as of January 1, 2021, and recommends that all users immediately uninstall Flash Player to help protect their systems. They stated that developers should move Flash Player content to newer platforms such as HTML5 in a prior post.
Microsoft Windows update KB4577586 will also permanently remove Flash Player. This update will be installed automatically as part of regular Windows updates.
Foxit, a maker of document and imaging software, has a free lightweight PDF Reader app for Windows, Mac, and Linux as well as mobile apps for iPhones, iPads, and Android devices. A list of free and paid Foxit products can be found at www.foxitsoftware.com/downloads.
Microsoft has released Windows File Recovery, a new Windows Store app that may help you deleted or corrupted data. Instructions and FAQ for this are available at support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/4538642/windows-10-restore-lost-files
Windows 10 Activity History has local records of apps and services in use, files that were opened, and visited websites. This information may be periodically sent to Microsoft under the default options. These settings can be changed and are found at Start Button > Settings > Privacy > Activity History.
Microsoft Build has been changed to an online only event this year, and runs from May 19 to May 21, 2020 starting at 8 AM Pacific Time. Registration for this online educational event is free at register.build.microsoft.com.
Microsoft has released updates to fix a security issue for Remote Desktop Services on Windows 10, 7, and 8.1, as well as Windows Server 2008 and 2012. Windows 10 Home and Windows 10 Pro computers will be updated automatically as part of the standard Windows Update process.