(Image source: Microsoft)
Windows 11
Preview Build 25276 is currently available for download from the Windows Insider Program. Most intriguing is a new diagnostic tool to aid in troubleshooting. There are also some design tweaks and several bug fixes in Microsoft’s latest package.
The new tool will allow users to create
Live Kernel Memory Dump
(opens in a new tab)
(LKD) to help diagnose the problem. A memory dump, also known as a core dump, is a record of a computer’s memory at a specific time, usually when the operating system or an application has performance problems. Microsoft says you’ll be able to log these issues in real time without interrupting the normal operation of Windows 11. The goal is to expedite troubleshooting of “high impact failures and hangs”.
The LKD tool will find its place in Task Manager under the Details section. Right-click on the system process and an entry will appear in the context menu that says “Create Live Kernel Memory Dump File”. You can also configure the tool to capture hypervisor pages or abort processes when memory is low. It’s important to point out that not everyone will get this feature. Microsoft said it will release limited builds to Insider Program members so they can monitor feedback. Based on this feedback, the company will decide whether the LKD tool will be available to everyone.
Additional features
About Design Adjustments, They Are No Big Deal of. The Settings app will now feature “Outlook attachment data” as part of new visuals introduced for Microsoft 365 subscriptions in November. Network Troubleshooter is being replaced by the more “modern” Get Help app to help you get “concrete advice” for fixes.
These fixes cover a variety of native Windows 11 features. Users can look forward to text search layout fixes for right-to-left languages such as Arabic, voice access to work properly with the calculator app, and File Explorer should no longer crash when loading recent files, just to name a few . Microsoft is currently investigating other known issues, including Insider Program members reporting system freezes after downloading new builds. But one of the more interesting aspects of Build 25276 is that it wasn’t officially shown. Users on the Internet
(Opens in a new tab) Found Microsoft plans to retire the Microsoft Support Diagnostic Tool (MSDT) within the next two years. That’s probably for the best, since MSDT has had several zero-day vulnerabilities in recent years, and Microsoft has dragged its feet on fixing them. The last fix took place in August 2022 when the company patched DogWalk Security Vulnerability
on MSDT, more than two years after it was first discovered.
On the surface, it appears that the company is no longer interested in supporting MSDT and is ready to move on. Right now, there’s no telling what a future replacement will be — assuming there will be one. There are also previews of Apple Music and Apple TV on Windows 11 in the build, although they are missing some major features. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s coverage of these beta apps.
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Cesar Cadenas has been writing about the technology industry for several years focusing on the consumer electronics, entertainment devices, Windows and gaming industries. But he’s also passionate about smartphones, GPUs, and cybersecurity.
