Are your video calls freezing or games lagging even with fast internet? The issue might be your upload speed, not download. Here’s how to check it.
Can’t find the Start menu after the latest Windows update? You’re not alone
Microsoft’s Windows 11 might be the company’s latest operating system, but some users aren’t sure if it’s the greatest. Since its launch late last year, it has been plagued with flaws and vulnerabilities. Tap or click here for why your Windows 11 PC could be suffering from a nasty slowdown bug.
The latest issue causing headaches is the Start button mysteriously vanishing from the desktop. Unlike Windows 10, the Start button moved to the center of the screen where you can access the menu functions.
Read on for details on the problem facing some Windows 11 users and what you can do about it if you are affected.
Here’s the backstory
Windows 11 packs a lot of changes, but the most obvious is the redesign of the desktop and other visual elements. The Start button is one such element, moving from the bottom left in Windows 10 to front and center in Windows 11.
However, it doesn’t need to stay there as you can move it back to its original position. But a bug in a recent update has made the button vanish entirely after it’s moved.
Multiple reports on forum threads and social media complain that the Start button disappears sporadically after installing Windows 11 Update KB5010414. Most reports indicate that it happens shortly after clicking the Start button.
The KB5010414 update changed how the widget icon functions, as you no longer need to click on the icon to view the widgets but only need to hover your cursor over it. It seems that this small change is at the heart of the problem.
If this has happened to you, don’t stress as Microsoft is aware of it. And might have a solution for you.
What you can do about it
Responding to complaints about the vanishing Start menu, Microsoft said it is working on it. At the same time, it suspects it happens when you’re passing over the widget’s icon as you move your mouse.
Unfortunately, the only remedy it could offer was that you need to carefully avoid the widget’s icon when moving your mouse’s cursor. Digging a bit deeper into the issue, it appears that the Start menu doesn’t actually disappear but gets concealed by the widgets pop-out.
Android touchscreen acting up? Here's how to troubleshoot it
Most of us have at least a few touchscreen devices on hand at a time. Whether it’s a touchscreen laptop, your smartphone, a tablet or some other gadget, it’s common for tech these days to be touch and play.
It’s also common for those touchscreens to be finicky and unresponsive at times. Touchscreens can stop working suddenly or have issues just like any other device component. When it happens, it can be pretty frustrating — or even render your device useless.
The nerve: After boarding the plane for a flight to Miami, there was a mechanical issue, so passengers left the plane to stretch their legs. When one guy returned, someone told him a blonde woman stopped at his seat, unplugged his charger and put it in her bag. He confronted her, camera in hand. Here’s the vid.
44 and 60 years old
When our bodies go through dramatic aging. Researchers tracked the molecules and microbes of 108 people over seven years. Most didn’t age gradually but did so in big bursts in their mid-40s and early 60s. Yup, age is an issue of mind over matter; if you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.
Popular antivirus program mistakenly IDs Windows as a threat, chaos follows
Your anti-virus software has one job: Protect your computer against malware. But one overzealous anti-virus program is improperly flagging Windows files and safe websites like Facebook as malicious. Here’s how to stop this faulty software from throwing your device into a complete meltdown.
👓 Skip the blue-light glasses: They don’t really protect your eyes from screen strain (paywall link). The real issue is looking at your device too closely for too long and forgetting to blink. We normally blink 15 times per minute, but that drops to six times per minute when staring at screens. Try the 20-20-20 rule: Every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break to look at something 20 feet away.
Calling all cat owners: There’s a line of self-cleaning litter boxes that could put your furry friend in danger. A sensor issue means cats can get stuck inside during the cleaning process. The litter boxes are sold under generic names and haven’t been officially recalled. More details and pics here.
$1.25 per issue
For a Popular Science magazine in 1978. Old editions like this one were loaded with cigarette promos, limited-run cars like the Jeep Honcho and DIY kits for early home computers like the Sol-20. I always get a kick out of ‘70s ad copy. They just don’t write them like they used to!