The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) that offered a Ubuntu Bash on Windows was first introduced in 2016, as more and more developers required a Linux environment within Windows, and Microsoft kept on improving it with, for instance, Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 released in 2019 bringing an actual Linux kernel, improved performance, and Docker support. Until now, WSL was an optional component inside of Windows, requiring you to go to the “Turn Windows Features on or off” dialogue to enable it, and restart your machine. But Microsoft has now announced you can install (a preview of) Windows Subsystem for Linux directly from the Microsoft Store as long as you run Windows 11. The change also means your WSL will be up-to-date as Microsoft pushes new features and bug fixes, and you do not need to modify/update your Windows version to get the latest changes. You’ll still need to go […]
Windows 11 can run on Arm SystemReady ES platforms like Raspberry Pi 4, Solidrun SBC’s, etc…
While Windows 11 may have some problems running some x86 machines, I previously saw Windows 11 Arm on Raspberry Pi 4 with instructions telling you to download the images from UUP Dump and flash the ISO with Windows on Raspberry Pi Imager. At the time, I did not look into details, and it seemed was some hack involved, but I’ve just been told Windows 11 could also run without modification on some SolidRun’s single board computers, namely MacchiatoBin and CN913x CEx7 evaluation board. Marcin Wojtas explains Windows 11 Pro (version 22000.168) could be installed unmodified on an Arm computer based on MacchiatoBin mini-ITX board equipped with an NVIDIA Geforce GT630 GPU (using EFI Frame Buffer), a SATA SSD, connected through Ethernet (via USB2ETH), plus a mouse and keyboard. So what’s the trick, and what do Raspberry Pi 4 and a board like MacchiatoBin have in common? Answer: Arm SystemReady ES […]
Zotac ZBOX C-series nano fanless Tiger Lake mini PCs announced
Three new Zotac ZBOX C-series nano fanless mini PCs with Tiger Lake processors have just been listed on the Zotac HK website. We wrote about Simply NUC’s Tiger Canyon Porcoolpine fanless Tiger lake mini PC last week, but getting more choices is great with the ZOTAC ZBOX CI625 nano (Core i3-1115G4), CI645 nano (Core i5-1135G7), and CI665 nano (Core i7-1165G7) mini PCs. The new computers are offered barebone with support for up to 64GB DDR4, SATA and NVMe storage, as well as HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 4K video outputs, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, WiFi 5, and more. ZBOX CI6x5 nano specifications: SoC ZBOX CI625 nano – Intel Core i3-1115G4 dual-core processor @ 3.0GHz, up to 4.1GHz (Turbo) with Intel UHD graphics; 28W TDP ZBOX CI645 nano – Intel Core i5-1135G7 quad-core processor @ 2.4GHz, up to 4.2GHz (Turbo) with Intel Xe graphics; 28W TDP ZBOX CI665 nano – Intel […]
ARM64EC mixes Arm and x64 emulated code in Windows 11 for higher performance on Arm
Windows has been available on Arm for a few years, and while software support has progressed there have always been some limitations, and emulated x86/x64 code on Arm does not usually run as fast as native ARM32/ARM64 code. So far developers had a binary choice: run their x86/x64 app on Arm using emulation, or port the entire app to Arm, But Microsoft has now come up with a solution that mixes x64 emulation and native Arm with ARM64EC (Emulation Compatible). That means developers won’t need to port the complete app to Arm, but instead could do so step-by-step and focus on part of the code where native Arm support makes the most difference. Microsoft explains: ARM64EC is a new application binary interface (ABI) for Windows 11 on ARM that runs with native speed and is interoperable with x64. An app, process, or even a module can freely mix and match […]
TPM 2.0 modules quadruple in price, run out of stock following Windows 11 announcement
Microsoft announced Windows 11 with new system requirements that include having hardware with a TPM 2.0 chip. Yesterday, we noted that could be an issue, as not all computers, laptops, and tablets may come with a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), especially if version 2.0 is required. Microsoft explains it’s for a good reason, name improved security, but the requirement has already had an impact on the market, even though Windows 11 is not officially available just yet, as TPM 2.0 modules have quadrupled in price according to a Tweet from Shen Ye, senior director, global head of hardware products for HTC. Note that while the bottom scale shows dates, it only shows dates when the price changes and the price was indeed $24.90 before Microsoft’s announcement, and gradually went up to $99.90 within 12 hours. At the time of writing, that module is out of stock on Amazon. Shen further […]
Windows 11 announced with widgets, Android apps support, new system requirements
As expected, Microsoft has formally announced Windows 11 operating system that’s basically Windows 10 with a new look, and some extra features such as Snap Layouts, Snap Groups, and Desktops to further improve the multitasking experience. Snap Layouts and Snap Groups will allow you to select pre-defined layouts to quickly arrange windows as you see fit, and you can define multiple “Desktops” for work, gaming, or school, etc… Other changes include Chat from Microsoft Teams integrated into the taskbar, new gaming features such as DirectX 12 Ultimate, Direct Storage for faster loading, or Auto HDR, a new Microsoft Store with support for Android apps through the Amazon Appstore, and AI-powered widgets to display useful information like calendar, weather, news, stock quotes, etc… There are also features that have become deprecated or pushed to the wayside with, for example, Cortana not used anymore during installation and not pinned to the taskbar, […]
Windows 11 build leaked, Windows 10 support ending in 2025
There’s been some rumors about Windows 11 – codename Sun Valley – in the last couple of weeks, but now I suppose that’s official as a leaked build of Windows 11 has made the rounds in the press, and Microsoft also announced Windows 10 support will be ending in October 2025 both for the Home and Pro version of the operating systems, as well as Windows 10 IoT Enterprise. Websites that tested the Windows 11 leaked build, including XDA Developers and NotebookCheck, report it’s very much like Windows 10, but with the scrapped Windows 10X shell. Since Microsoft is scheduled to announced Windows 11 on June 24, the user interface and experience should be pretty close to the actual release. The most obvious visual change compared to Windows 10 is that the taskbar is now centered. Other cosmetic changes include Windows and menus with rounded corners, a new Windows logo, […]