Microsoft Support & Discussions

It’s our pleasure to announce another exciting expansion of the Microsoft Bounty Programs. Today, we will be adding .NET Core and ASP.NET Core to our suite of ongoing bounty programs. We are offering a bounty on the Windows and Linux versions of .NET Core and ASP.NET Core starting on September 1, 2016.

Today, HP Inc. debuted two new desktop PCs with Windows 10 that are revolutionizing traditional desktop design for the home and workplace. These PCs light up great Windows 10 features – for example, the dual microphones in the HP Pavilion Wave and the dual microphone module in the HP Elite Slice both enable Cortana* with voice integration, so you can communicate naturally by talking with your own digital personal assistant. Let’s take a look at these new desktop PCs: The HP Pavilion Wave with Windows 10 Click to view slideshow. With the HP Pavilion Wave, design, entertainment and productivity come together in an exciting new design. For customers who want a PC t…

Today at IFA 2016, Lenovo announced great new additions to their multimode PC family, including the new Yoga 910 convertible laptop and the Miix 510 detachable. These new devices with Windows 10 arrive with the newest industry technology built-in, including the Yoga 910’s fingerprint reader that utilizes Windows Hello to simplify logging in. Let’s take a look at a few of the devices announced today: The Lenovo Yoga 910 with Windows 10 Click to view slideshow. The Lenovo Yoga 910 is the world’s thinnest Intel Core i convertible laptop – just 0.56 in – and the ideal convertible for both work and entertainment. The Yoga 910 has an embedded advanced fingerprint read…

Today, Paul Jensen, Studio Manager of Microsoft Casual Games announced on Xbox Wire that Microsoft Solitaire Collection on Windows has reached more than 100 million unique users. To commemorate the milestone, we’re sharing a few facts you might not know about Microsoft Solitaire Collection and details on a new game feature that will take your Solitaire gameplay to the next level! Some facts you might not know about Microsoft Solitaire Collection In its 26-year run, Solitaire still remains one of the most played games of all time on any Windows OS and with today’s Microsoft Solitaire Collection on Windows 10 and Windows 8, that legacy continues. On aver…

Today at IFA 2016, Acer unveiled several great new Windows 10 devices and desktop monitors, including PCs built ready for gaming or working on-the-go. The Acer Swift 7 and Spin 7 with Windows 10 are both less than three pounds and extremely thin, so you can take them anywhere. The Predator 21 X, a 21” Curved-Screen Notebook with Windows 10 comes with built-in eye-tracking hardware (infrared sensors and software), introducing new interactions in gaming like aiming, identifying enemies and taking cover simply by gazing at objects on the screen. The infrared sensors also enable Windows Hello for added security and convenience, scanning your face to unlock the device, in plac…

A new attack called FaireWare Ransomware is targeting Linux users where the attackers hack a Linux server, delete the web folder, and then demand a ransom payment of two bitcoins to get their files back. In this attack, the attackers most likely do not encrypt the files, and if they do retain the files, probably just upload it to a server under their control. Victims have reported that they first learned about this attack when they discovered their web sites were down. When they logged into their Linux servers, they discovered that the web site folder had been removed and a note called READ_ME.txt was left in the /root/ folder. This note contains a link to a fu…

What do you call a place that has the latest movies, TV, music, apps and games? The Windows Store of course! With the latest Windows 10 Anniversary Update the Windows Store is better than ever. Today, we’re giving you a quick tour around the new Store. To find the Store, select the Windows key on your keyboard to bring up the Start menu and then click the Store tile. Or, if you’ve pinned the Store to your taskbar, you can select it that way. Once you open the app you’ll see the homepage with featured content and collections, top apps, games like Rise of the Tomb Raider, Gears of War: Ultimate Edition for Windows 10 and more. You’ll also notice there are differe…

Today, on Xbox Wire I shared what’s coming in the next major update for Minecraft: Windows 10 Edition beta and Pocket Edition, it’s called the Boss Update. This fearsome update is packed with content that is sure to thrill every type of Minecraft player, with two big new boss battles, new blocks for building and even the first set of long-awaited slash commands for those who love to tinker with the game. Ocean Monuments will be discoverable, and you can enjoy adventuring in these new, rare locations with friends beneath the sea. Survival players, creatives and builders alike are in for a real treat with the Boss Update. Ocean Monuments will be discoverable,…

Ransomware found being delivered as Windows critical update Ransomware often tries to disguise its malicious behavior by various tricks. The latest method observed is from a new variant called Fantom, which shows a fake Windows Update screen, while in reality, it's encrypting the user's files. The ransomware, spotted for the first time only a few days ago by AVG security researcher Jakub Kroustek, is coded on top of EDA2, a ransomware building kit that was open-sourced last year, but eventually taken down. EDA2 contained flaws that allowed researchers to obtain the decryption keys from the ransomware's C&C server. According to analysis from Bleeping Com…

We hope you enjoyed this week’s episode of This Week on Windows! To learn more about the Cortana* tip mentioned head over to our Windows 10 Tips blog post on how to use Cortana above your lock screen with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. A couple of Windows 10 PC offers were also highlighted in the episode, you can learn more about the Study and Play offers here and below we’re sharing details on Amazon’s offer on the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S and some great offers from Best Buy. Save $150 on the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S with Office 365 Personal included From now until 9/3/16 save $150 when you purchase the Samsung Galaxy TabPro S with Windows 10 from Amazon**, y…

Victims can recover files for free without paying the ransom Malware analysts from PhishLabs have released a decrypter for a newly spotted ransomware family called Alma Locker. Discovered by Proofpoint researcher Darien Huss, and first analyzed by Lawrence Abrams, Alma Locker is more advanced than all the other recent ransomware variants released in the past month, who've been more like "testing" versions, and not full-on threats. As a testament to Alma Locker's more advanced state of development, the crooks behind this malware have already moved to a mass distribution stage using the RIG exploit kit. It is unknown how crooks are sending hijacked traffic t…

Intel McAfee & Kaspersky both provide free decryption tools Intel McAfee and Kaspersky have published two decrypters that can unlock files encrypted during WildFire ransomware infections. Both tools are available for download via the NoMoreRansom website, a collaboration between the two companies, the Dutch police, and the Europol European Cybercrime Centre (EC3) WildFire appeared in the spring and targeted only the Netherlands WildFire is a ransomware that was first spotted in mid-April, under the name GNL and then Zyklon. The ransomware rebranded at the end of May, taking the current WildFire name, which it still uses. During June, and later Jul…

This post was authored by Jeff Woolsey, Principal Program Manager, Windows Server. We are about a month away from Microsoft Ignite 2016 in Atlanta and we are eager to see you and provide a first-class tour of Windows Server, System Center, OMS, Azure, along with so much more. For those of you who have been evaluating the Windows Server 2016 Technical Preview releases, a huge thank you. Your feedback has directly contributed to feature additions and refinements along the way to make sure we’re building the best server for you, whether it’s on-premises or in the cloud. To start, let’s begin with an area we haven’t disclosed yet: scale. When it comes to development, th…

With the launch of Windows Server 2016, customers have more reasons than ever to switch from VMware to Microsoft. We want to make it an easy decision for VMware customers to switch to Hyper-V, so today we are announcing a new VMware migration offer. Free Windows Server Datacenter licenses when you buy Windows Server Datacenter + Software Assurance From September 1, 2016, through June 30, 2017, customers who switch workloads from VMware to Hyper-V can get free Windows Server Datacenter licenses when buying Windows Server Datacenter + Software Assurance. That ultimately means customers only pay for Software Assurance, which provides multiple benefits. More reason…

Halo 5: Forge lets map makers, creative visionaries, and Spartans of all kinds build, share, and play new levels, maps, and experiences across Windows 10 and Xbox One. Halo 5: Forge brings the entire Forge level-creation experience from Halo 5: Guardians to Windows 10, with support for mouse and keyboard, higher-resolution displays (including 4k), the ability to host and play custom matches for up to 16 players, and a new content browser that spans platforms. Download new levels from the Forge community created on either Windows 10 or Xbox One. Customize existing maps or create your own from scratch. Halo 5: Forge opens the door to new possibilities in Halo 5: Guar…

Happy Monday, everyone! In last week’s Windows 10 Tip, we showed you how to get started with Microsoft Edge extensions. Today, we’re going to show you how your personal digital assistant, Cortana*, can help you with all kinds of tasks across your device – even above your lock screen, thanks to the Windows 10 Anniversary Update. Cortana allows you to perform tasks including set timers, track flights or even check the traffic, just using your voice. And now, with the Windows 10 Anniversary Update, you can talk to Cortana on your PC’s lock screen. Here’s how to use Cortana above your lock screen: Start by saying “Hey Cortana,” and ask her what the weather …