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May 2019
Intel HD Graphics 26.20
30 May 2019
Intel has released Version 26.20.100.6890 of its HD Graphics drivers for the optimal performance of Integrated Graphics Processors on Intel CPUs. This is the recommended driver for Layers of Fear 2. It also provides a range of performance improvements.
Windows 10 Updates
30 May 2019
Microsoft has released a new Cumulative Update for Windows 10 version 1903.
iTunes 12.9.5
29 May 2019
Apple has released a new Version 12.9.5 of the iTunes software. If you don't wish to use the Windows Store to download iTunes, direct download links are provided: 64-bit Version, 32-bit Version. Aside from security fixes, a full changelist is not yet available.
Windows Updates
29 May 2019
Microsoft has released a new Cumulative Update for Windows 10 versions 1709 and 1703.
Nvidia GeForce 430.86 WHQL
28 May 2019
Nvidia has released the 430.86 WHQL certified graphics driver. This driver is for GeForce 600 and higher graphics cards under Windows 7, 8 and 10. It is the recommended driver for Quake II RTX and Assetto Corsa Competizione, and adds support for three new G-Sync monitors and the Oculus Rift S and HTC VIVE Pro Eye HMDs. The driver contains PhysX version 9.19.0218 and GeForce Experience version 3.18.0.
GPU-Z 2.21.0
25 May 2019
GPU-Z, a free graphics card information utility, has reached Version 2.21.0. Changes in this version include support for a new chipset, as well as bug fixes.
Opera 60.0
25 May 2019
The Opera browser has been updated to Version 60.0.3255.109. This update provides bug fixes.
CPU-Z 1.89
24 May 2019
A new Version 1.89 of the CPU-Z information utility has been released. This version provides support for new chipsets and shows the DDR4 RAM manufacturer.
AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 19.5.2
23 May 2019
AMD has released the Adrenalin Edition 19.5.2 driver for the HD 7700, HD 8500 series and above on Windows 7 and 10. This driver provides support for Total War: Three Kingdoms, as well as a range of bug fixes.
Chrome 74.0
22 May 2019
Google has released Version 74.0.3729.169 of the Chrome browser. This update provides security and bug fixes.
Windows 10 May 2019 Update
22 May 2019
Microsoft has released the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, also known as Windows 10 version 1903. This free major Feature Update is being rolled out gradually, and is currently only available if you manually check for Updates in Windows Update. It provides a range of new features, such as those detailed here. There are also a range of Known Issues in Windows 10 version 1903.
Update: You can manually download the full 1903 Update or create an ISO of it by going here.
Windows 10 Updates
22 May 2019
Microsoft has released a new Cumulative Update for Windows 10 versions 1809 and 1803.
Firefox 67.0
21 May 2019
Mozilla has released Version 67.0 of the Firefox browser. Changes in this major update include improved performance in several areas, new options to block known cryptominers and fingerprinters under Options>Content Blocking, improved security and customization for private browsing, a range of minor feature improvements, along with security and bug fixes. Note that the new WebRender GPU-accelerated 2D engine is disabled by default but will be gradually enabled on Windows 10 systems with Nvidia GPUs over the next two weeks. If you want to forcibly enable WebRender on any system, go to About:Config and set gfx.webrender.all to True.
Windows Updates
20 May 2019
Microsoft has released a new Cumulative Update for Windows 10 which addresses an issue that may prevent access to some gov.uk websites that don’t support HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS) when using Internet Explorer 11 or Microsoft Edge.
Opera 60.0
18 May 2019
The Opera browser has been updated to Version 60.0.3255.95. This update provides interface improvements and bug fixes.
Site Update
17 May 2019
I've finally installed an SSL certificate for the site, and you should now be automatically redirected to the secure https:// version when visiting. I have to manually fix some more issues related to SSL and the server certificate, so you may notice some site glitches in the meanwhile. But if you're having major problems accessing the site, let me know.
Intel HD Graphics 26.20
17 May 2019
Intel has released Version 26.20.100.6861 of its HD Graphics drivers for the optimal performance of Integrated Graphics Processors on Intel CPUs. This is the recommended driver for A Plague Tale: Innocence, Total War: Three Kingdoms and Conan Unconquered. It improves image quality and performance for Conservative Morphological Anti-Aliasing (CMAA) in DX12 games, reduces OpenCL shader compilation time, and provides other improvements and bug fixes.
Site Update
16 May 2019
Yes, another update: based on reader feedback over the past few months and my own research, the flavor of Linux I've chosen for The Linux Experiment is Linux Mint Cinnamon. It seems the best distro for making Windows users feel more at home. I'll report back in a week or two as to how the experiment is going.
MDS CPU Vulnerabilities
15 May 2019
A new class of Microarchitectural Data Sampling (MDS) Vulnerabilities has been discovered, primarily affecting Intel CPUs, similar to the Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities. These are known by the aliases Zombieload, RIDL and Fallout. MDS is a hypothetical vulnerability that requires local privileged execution; as with Spectre and Meltdown, no exploits using this method have yet been detected. Intel has released a Security Advisory on MDS, classifying it as a Medium risk. Microcode and OS updates are being released as the primary mitigation; disabling HyperThreading is not always necessary.
Update: Today's Windows patches have begun to address this vulnerability; CPU microcode updates will be available shortly. The performance impact is noted as "limited", but can be more noticeable if you need to disable HyperThreading.
Update 2: To see whether your system is vulnerable and to what extent, download the MDS Tool found on the middle of this page and run the relevant executable. If you get an error, install this Visual C++ Redistributable Update and try again. For reference, my 9th Gen Intel i7 9700K doesn't come with HyperThreading, I've installed all of the current updates, and my MDSTool results look like this at the moment.
Chrome 74.0
15 May 2019
Google has released Version 74.0.3729.157 of the Chrome browser. This update provides security and bug fixes.
CCleaner 5.57
15 May 2019
A new Version 5.57.7182 of the free CCleaner system cleaning utility has been released. Changes in this version include a new simplified Easy Clean option, with the original cleaner renamed Custom Clean, a new tab in Startup to manage Windows Services, a new Preferred Home Screen setting, updater and installation improvements, as well as bug fixes.
Microsoft Security Updates
15 May 2019
Microsoft has released its monthly set of Windows security updates which you can view here and obtain via Windows Update. This includes the latest Windows 7 Rollup and Windows 8.1 Rollup updates, as well as Windows 10 Cumulative Updates.
Acrobat Reader DC 19
15 May 2019
Adobe has released a new Version 2019.012.20034 of its free software for viewing PDF documents, now known as Acrobat Reader DC. This update provides new features as well as security and bug fixes.
Flash Player 32.0
15 May 2019
Adobe has released Version 32.0.0.192 of the Flash Player plugin for browsers. To download the full offline installer, use these links depending upon your browser: Internet Explorer or Firefox or Opera. Use Windows Update to update the built-in Flash Player in IE11 under Windows 8 and 10, and Edge under Windows 10. Update to the latest version of Chrome to update its built-in Flash Player.
AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition 19.5.1
14 May 2019
AMD has released the Adrenalin Edition 19.5.1 driver for the HD 7700, HD 8500 series and above on Windows 7 and 10. This driver provides support for the Windows 10 May 2019 Update, improves performance in Rage 2, adds Instruction Tracing for Radeon GPU Profiler 1.5.X, as well as a range of bug fixes.
Opera 60.0
14 May 2019
The Opera browser has been updated to Version 60.0.3255.84. This update addresses a GPU bug that causes black screen crashes at startup.
Site Update
14 May 2019
To respond to a few general queries: I will at some point update the site to a modern platform and possibly update some key material like the Nvidia Tweak Guide as time and resources permit. In the longer term, I need to find a more productive way to channel my tech efforts. I'm sorry that some readers feel that I've abandoned gaming, and them. I want to share with you the fact that I was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2015, at the age of 44. Lots of medication means I'm not visibly affected yet, but initially, I found typing to be incredibly difficult, much less gaming, so both guides and games went by the wayside. These past 6 months have seen me return to lifting heavy weights and regaining my ability to type at a decent speed. It's still a challenge, and I'm not sure how long this will last, but I want to make the most of it. In a random Universe, sometimes negative events can lead to positive outcomes. For example, few PC gamers think the new Elder Scrolls: Blades mobile game is worthy of its proud heritage - but it has given us a beautiful soundtrack. So don't count me out just yet ;)
Site Update
13 May 2019
Shortly I'll commence what I've dubbed my "Linux Experiment": a step-by-step look at how easy it is for a Windows enthusiast with virtually no prior Linux experience to undertake the transition. It's not intended to be an advanced optimization guide, it's primarily a pathfinding exercise to make it easier for others to judge whether they want to switch over to Linux, and how best to do it, before Windows 7 goes EOL in January 2020. I'm starting with a Linux/Windows 10 dual boot, a configuration that should suit most people.
Nvidia GeForce 430.64 WHQL
10 May 2019
Nvidia has released the 430.64 WHQL certified graphics driver. This driver is for GeForce 600 and higher graphics cards under Windows 7, 8 and 10. It is the recommended driver for RAGE 2, Total War: Three Kingdoms, and World War Z. The driver contains PhysX version 9.19.0218 and GeForce Experience version 3.18.0.
Firefox 66.0.5
8 May 2019
Mozilla has released Version 66.0.5 of the Firefox browser. This update provides additional fixes for the disabled add-ons issue.
O&O Shutup10 1.6
8 May 2019
O&O Software has released Version 1.6.1402 of the free O&O Shutup10 utility, designed to provide greater control over Windows 10's privacy and update related settings. This version adds support for the upcoming Windows 10 1903 update, as well as providing bug fixes.
Firefox 66.0.4
6 May 2019
Mozilla has released Version 66.0.4 of the Firefox browser. This update fixes the disabled add-ons issue.
Firefox Add-on Issues
5 May 2019
Firefox is experiencing Add-on Problems due to the accidental expiry of a certificate used to sign add-ons. This results in the following message bar appearing: One or more installed add-ons cannot be verified and have been disabled. Mozilla is working on a proper fix, but for now, a workaround is to go to Firefox Options>Privacy & Security, scroll down and tick the 'Allow Firefox to send technical and interaction data to Mozilla' option, then tick the 'Allow Firefox to install and run studies' option. It may take up to 6 hours for this Study hotfix to be downloaded and applied to Firefox.
Update: Some people are reporting this as being fixed, but my Firefox is still affected. One unsupported workaround that works straight away is provided here.
Intel Chipset Device Software 10.1
4 May 2019
Intel has released Version 10.1.1.45 of the Chipset Device Software, the main driver for Intel chipset-based motherboards.
Intel Management Engine 1909.12
4 May 2019
Intel has released Version 1909.12.0.1236 of the Intel Management Engine driver, which coordinates hardware and software monitoring of CPU functions.
Windows Updates
4 May 2019
Microsoft has released another new Cumulative Update for Windows 10 version 1809.
Windows Updates
2 May 2019
Microsoft has released a new Cumulative Update for Windows 10 version 1809.
Chrome 74.0
2 May 2019
Google has released Version 74.0.3729.131 of the Chrome browser. This update provides security and bug fixes.
Nvidia GeForce 430.53 Hotfix
1 May 2019
Nvidia has released the 430.53 Hotfix graphics driver. This driver is for the GeForce 600 series and above under Windows 7, 8.1 and 10. It addresses: higher CPU usage by NVDisplay.Container.exe introduced in 430.39; flickering in 3DMark Time Spy; crashes in BeamNG; freezes in Shadow of the Tomb Raider when launched in SLI mode; and desktop flicking when videos are played back on a secondary monitor.
WinRAR 5.71
1 May 2019
The archival utility WinRAR has been updated to Version 5.71. Changes include improved performance with the convert archives command, improved corrupt ZIP processing, along with bug fixes.
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