Windows 10 Insider Preview build 16251: new Cortana commands
Development of the next feature update of Windows 10, the Fall Creators Update, is slowly coming to an end as Microsoft shifted development from adding features in builds to fixing issues and giving the new version a bit of polishing before release.
Windows 10 Insider Preview build 16251 is not overly spectacular when it comes to new features because of that. While that is the case, it does ship with some that are noteworthy, and others that are not really that useful in the current iteration..
First, the features that you may find useful. If you use Cortana, you may order Cortana to change the power state of the PC. This works only in English right now according to Microsoft, and the following commands are supported:
- Restart PC -- Hey Cortana, restart PC
- Turn off PC -- Hey Cortana, turn off PC
- Sign out -- Hey Cortana, sign out
- Lock PC -- Hey Cortana, lock PC
So, instead of having to click or tap, or use the keyboard, you can ask Cortana to do this for you now. I can see this being useful in some situations, for instance when you are not in arms reach.
Microsoft improved the "boot up" experience of the operating system as well. Windows 10 ships with an option that uses a user's authentication information automatically when a device is restarted to finalize updates on a PC running Windows 10.
Microsoft extended the functionality to regular reboots and shutdowns.
When you log in and initiate a reboot or a shutdown through power options available on the Start Menu and various other locations, Windows will automatically setup your account after it’s has booted back up.
You can use the commands shutdown /sg and shutdown /g for this as well. The first shuts down the computer, and restarts any registered application on the next boot. The second performs a full shutdown of the PC and restarts the computer. It too loads any registered application again.
You can turn off the feature under Settings > Accounts > Sign-in options > Use my sign-in info to automatically finish setting up my device after an update or restart.
Now to the feature that you may not find uber-useful just yet. Microsoft implemented an option to link the Windows PC to a phone. This works only for Android phones currently but Microsoft prmised that iPhone support is available soon.
When you link your phone to your Windows PC, Microsoft sends you an SMS to your device to install the Microsoft Apps application. Installation completes the link between the two devices and enables cross browsing scenarios for now.
You can use the device's share functionality to send a web page that you are browsing to your PC. The website will open automatically on the PC when you select the "continue now" option, or later when you select "continue later".
I cannot think of many scenarios where this can be useful right now. The major browsers on Android support synchronization, so that you can get the pages that are open when using the mobile browser on your desktop PC as well if you use the desktop version of it and have enabled synchronization.
If you can think of something, let me know in the comment section below.
Microsoft fixed quite a few things in the build, and you may want to check out the original article on the Windows blog for a rundown on those. Make sure you read the known issues section as well as some things won't work properly in the build.
What mental age of reader are you targeting with the first sentence? 10?
Why not write an article on how to *avoid* upgrading from W10 to W11. Analogous to those like me who avoided upgrading from 7 to 10 for as long as possible.
If your paymaster Microsoft permits it, of course.
5. Rufus
6. Ventoy
PS. I hate reading these “SEO optimized” articles.
I used Rufus to create an installer for a 6th gen intel i5 that had MBR. It upgraded using Setup. No issues except for Win 11 always prompting me to replace my local account. Still using Win 10 Pro on all my other PCs to avoid the bullying.
bit pointless to upgrade for the sake of upgrading as you never know when you’ll get locked out because ms might suddenly not provide updates to unsupported systems.
ps…. time travelling?
written. Jan 15, 2023
Updated • Jan 13, 2023
This happens when you schedule a post in WordPress and update it before setting the publication date.
Anyone willing to downgrade to this awful OS must like inflicting themselves with harm.
I have become convinced now that anybody who has no qualms with using Windows 11/10 must fit into one of the following brackets:
1) Too young to remember a time before W10 and W11 (doesn’t know better)
2) Wants to play the latest games on their PC above anything else (or deeply needs some software which already dropped W7 support)
3) Doesn’t know too much about how computers work, worried that they’d be absolutely lost and in trouble without the “”latest security””
4) Microsoft apologist that tries to justify that the latest “features” and “changes” are actually a good thing, that improve Windows
5) Uses their computer to do a bare minimum of like 3 different things, browse web, check emails, etc, so really doesn’t fuss
Obviously that doesn’t cover everyone, there’s also the category that:
6) Actually liked W7 more than 10, and held out as long as possible before switching, begrudgingly uses 10 now
Have I missed any group off this list?
You have missed in this group just about any professional user that uses business software like CAD programs or ERP Programs which are 99% of all professional users from this list.
Linux doesn’t help anyone who is not a linux kid and apple is just a fancy facebook machine.
Microsoft has removed KB5029351 update
only from windows update though
KB5029351 is still available from the ms update catalog site
1. This update is labaled as PREVIEW if it causes issues to unintelligent people, then they shouldn’t have allowed Preview updates ot install.
2. I have installed it in a 11 years old computer, and no problems at all.
3. Making a big drama over a bluescreen for an updated labeled as preview is ridiculous.
This is probably another BS internet drama where people ran programs and scripts that modified the registry until they broke Windows, just for removing stuff that they weren’t even using just for the sake of it.
Maybe people should stop playing geeks and actually either use Windows 10 or Windows 11, but don’t try to modify things just for the sake of it.
Sometimes removing or stopping things (like defender is a perfect example) only need intelligence, not scripts or 3rd party programs that might mess with windows.
Windows 11 was a pointless release, it was just created because some of the Windows team wanted to boost sales with some sort of new and improved Windows 10. Instead, Microsoft cannot support one version well let alone two.
Windows 11 is the worst ugly shame by Microsoft ever. They should release with every new W11 version a complete free version of Starallback inside just to make this sh** OS functionally again.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released a statement regarding the “unsupported processor” blue screen error for their boards using Intel 600/700 series chipsets & to avoid the KB5029351 Win11 update:
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/MSI-On–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–Error-Message-of-Windows-11-Update-KB5029351-Preview-142215
check out the following recent articles:
Neowin – Microsoft puts little blame on its Windows update after UNSUPPORTED PROCESSOR BSOD bug:
https://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-puts-little-blame-on-its-windows-update-after-unsupported-processor-bsod-bug/
BleepingComputer – Microsoft blames ‘unsupported processor’ blue screens on OEM vendors:
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/microsoft-blames-unsupported-processor-blue-screens-on-oem-vendors/
While there may be changes or updates to the Windows 10 Store for Business and Education in the future, it is premature to conclude that it will be discontinued based solely on rumors.
My advice, I left win 15 years ago. Now I’m a happy linux user (linuxmint) but there is Centos, Fedora, Ubuntu depending on your needs.
motherboard maker MSI has recently released new BIOS/firmware updates for their Intel 600 & 700 series motherboards to fix the “UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR” problem (Sept. 6):
https://www.msi.com/news/detail/Updated-BIOS-fixes-Error-Message–UNSUPPORTED-PROCESSOR–caused-BSOD-on-MSI-s-Intel-700-and-600-Series-Motherboards-142277
I try to disable the Diagnostics Tracking Service (Connected Devices Platform User Services) but it wont let me disable it, any help will be greatly appreciated.
Tank you for your help