Interesting Tech Articles

[Alexsei]

How to disable Bitlocker during W11 installation
https://www.neowin.net/guides/how-to-prevent-windows-11-from-encrypting-your-disks-during-installation/

How to disable it after installation (which I highly advise unless you need your data encrypted by default)
https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/this-windows-11-installation-setting-can-cut-your-ssd-performance-in-half-heres-how-to-disable-it

I just spent 2 days recovering my computer after "intentionally" enabling bitlocker, and have Microsoft mess the drive without even encrypting it

[mevinyavin]

I just spent 2 days recovering my computer after "intentionally" enabling bitlocker, and have Microsoft mess the drive without even encrypting it

Ouch. Been there... RS to your computer.

[Alexsei]

Ouch. Been there... RS to your computer.

RS?

[mevinyavin]

RS?

Refuah Sheleima, as in, hope the problem was entirely software related and not hardware related.

[Alexsei]

Refuah Sheleima, as in, hope the problem was entirely software related and not hardware related.

I suspect the issue was that I held down shift on the first restart

[Jojo202]

I just spent 2 days recovering my computer after "intentionally" enabling bitlocker, and have Microsoft mess the drive without even encrypting it

Why couldn't you get your BitLocker key from your Microsoft online account?

[Alexsei]

Why couldn't you get your BitLocker key from your Microsoft online account?

I had the key, issue was that disk was corrupted (it wasn't actually encrypted, had the encryption gone well I wouldn't even need the key to recover as I have TPM)

[mevinyavin]

I had the key, issue was that disk was corrupted (it wasn't actually encrypted, had the encryption gone well I wouldn't even need the key to recover as I have TPM)

Exactly. Common problem that the disk is encrypted but something goes wrong with the encryption and you basically have to start over.

[Jojo202]

https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/10/google-hosted-malvertising-leads-to-fake-keepass-site-that-looks-genuine/

[Randomex]

https://arstechnica.com/security/2023/10/google-hosted-malvertising-leads-to-fake-keepass-site-that-looks-genuine/

I thought I'd seen that before, and the most likely source was this forum. I was correct:
https://forums.dansdeals.com/index.php?topic=39036.msg2762643#msg2762643

I can't say "Search before posting," though - Alexsei's post doesn't show up in
a search for "arstechnica" or "keepass," while the new post does. Perhaps one
of those who read this thread will have some insight into what's going on here.
(This isn't the first time I've noticed such a thing.)

[mevinyavin]

https://www.notebookcheck.net/When-exactly-did-web-browsers-turn-into-helicopter-parents.866604.0.html

We're sorry, but unfortunately NBC Notebookprotect Safe Browsing filter doesn't recognise this blurb. This article might try to do unpredictable things to your computer.
Matthew Lee, Published 07/24/2024
Software Security Opinion
Opinion by Matthew Lee
Views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author.

I'm sure most of you already know what I'm talking about, just from the headline. Chrome and Edge, the two largest desktop web browsers, are egregious for making you jump through hoops and dodge red flags, whenever you want to use any software that's committed the crime of existing off the beaten track.

Say you're a power user. You're a Notebookcheck reader (I hope!), you thought the latest Lenovo Legion did really well in review, or just thought one looked good on Amazon, and you nabbed one for yourself. You've read about how people don't like Lenovo's Vantage software and the bloat that comes with it, and you've heard about the Legion Toolkit utility that some users have put together. It's open source and pretty widely used, and you'd really like to be able to adjust your battery charging settings without being upsold a running subscription for a care plan, so you crack open Edge, go to its GitHub page, and-



Nope. Nein. Non. Нет. 不可以.



Look, see, in that last one Windows already has the whole "nannying you over potentially risky software" thing down pat - I don't need to hear Edge saying the same thing three separate times. (Image Source: Own)

This kind of thing isn't just annoying, it's excessive. Back when Epic Games was taking the big mobile app stores to court, it used similar arguments against Google - it claimed that excessive safety warnings for installing APK files outside of the Play Store, compared to simply downloading Google Chrome or Adobe Acrobat in a web browser, were fearmongering and consolidating Google's monopolistic control. Well, turns out, we've got that same fearmongering in web browsers too, just not when downloading Chrome or Acrobat.

"Oh, but they're security features", goes the usual refrain. Well, then they're pretty bad ones.
The thing is, these over-the-top warnings might only stop users from making a mistake once or twice. Once someone figures out how to bypass these blocks, they're just an annoying speed bump - and now your user is no more informed about what is dangerous or not, just more willing to ignore and override your warnings. The wording sure as hell doesn't help - the ideas of "reputation-based" security, or a file being dangerous because it "isn't commonly downloaded", gives the impression of a specific whitelist, a hidden cool kid's club of who's in and who's out. And if there's anything that consumers love, it's being condescended to without transparency, without any opportunity for those who are a bit more competent with tech to skip the kid gloves. Heck, Chrome's new method of making you give a reason why you're overriding the block is interesting - only, you have to jump through hoops to get to the blood-red full-page warning where you can actually do that.

Oh well. Sorry folks. Open-source software, specific academic tools, creative indie projects, and anyone else who hasn't got hundreds to spend on getting code signed or millions of downloads isn't allowed here. They're stinky and dangerous. You're only allowed to stick to Office, Creative Cloud, a mainstream browser, and maybe the odd streaming service, because only those are safe.

Unless you use Firefox. Then you just get to be really smug while reading all of this.

(PS: I don't use Legion Toolkit. I don't even own a Legion. But I certainly hate the idea of Lenovo trying to further monetise a $1500 laptop...)

[Jojo202]

https://www.notebookcheck.net/When-exactly-did-web-browsers-turn-into-helicopter-parents.866604.0.html

I may be exaggerating, but about half my downloads get that warning...

[azforkosh]

https://www.notebookcheck.net/When-exactly-did-web-browsers-turn-into-helicopter-parents.866604.0.html

I strongly disagree. Security is never enough. You only need to fall once for a real cyberattack or ransomware and you'll think differently.
Better be safe then sorry!

[yuneeq]

I strongly disagree. Security is never enough. You only need to fall once for a real cyberattack or ransomware and you'll think differently.
Better be safe then sorry!

Nice in theory but too many false positives will make the user start ignoring the warnings

[mevinyavin]

I strongly disagree. Security is never enough. You only need to fall once for a real cyberattack or ransomware and you'll think differently.
Better be safe then sorry!

If you read the article, you would know that the writer agrees theoretically but is basically making this point:

Too many false positives will make the user start ignoring the warnings

And that there are a lot of OBVIOUS false positives, often due to politics.

[mevinyavin]

https://www.howtogeek.com/why-we-moved-from-43-monitors-to-169-and-how-that-changed-our-work-habits/

Agav, in case anyone cares, the switch to 16:9 laptop screens happened literally overnight with the launch of Windows Vista. I suppose regular monitors happened more gradually - if I recall correctly, that was together with the first 1080p ("Full HD) monitors (back when I used to follow the monitor space, which I have not for ten years). I remember because we went from 17"/19"/22" monitors to the brand-new 21.5" size with tech writers saying that 21.5" was the smallest size that Full HD could be fully utilized on (though I think that has changed if it was ever true).

[Jojo202]

https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/ways-kids-are-getting-around-parental-controls-on-apple-screen-time

[mevinyavin]

https://www.notebookcheck.net/First-ever-potassium-ion-18650-battery-unveiled-outperforms-Li-ion-counterparts-and-is-cobalt-free.871727.0.html

[mevinyavin]

litium ion batteries - chazara. (most of this discussed upthread)

https://www.howtogeek.com/the-battery-questions-people-always-ask-me/

[Yehudaa]

This is pretty crazy, if it works well:

https://blog.google/products/pixel/google-pixel-9-ai-camera-features/#:~:text=4.%20Be%20in%20the,photo%2C%20photographers%20included.