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March 2014



Windows Updates

27 March 2014


Microsoft has released a Hotfix for Windows 8, and a Hotfix for Windows 8.1, to fix potential crashes when playing back an audio file. The KB article is currently unavailable for the Windows 8.1 hotfix, so here are the download links for 32-bit or 64-bit systems.



CCleaner 4.12

26 March 2014


A new Version 4.12.4657 of the free CCleaner system cleaning utility has been released. Changes include improved Opera cleaning, improved ActiveX and Class Issue Registry cleaning, the addition of Facebook and Twitter cookies to intelligent Cookie Scan, along with a range of minor improvements and bug fixes.



Word Security Patch

25 March 2014


Microsoft has released a Fixit Patch which addresses a security vulnerability in all versions of Microsoft Word. The vulnerability is not yet critical, but can occur if opening a specially crafted RTF file, or a specially crafted mail in Outlook while using Word as the email viewer.



DirectX 12.0

21 March 2014


Microsoft has officially announced details of DirectX 12.0. Games based on DirectX 12 are expected to be released in late 2015.



Opera 20.0

20 March 2014


The Opera browser has been updated to Version 20.0.1387.82. The changes in this version include a Chromium update and a crash fix.



CPU-Z 1.69

20 March 2014


A new Version 1.69 of the CPU-Z information utility has been released. This version adds support for new chipsets as well as details on the GPU vendor.



Java Runtime Environment 8

19 March 2014


Oracle has released Version 8 of the Java Runtime Environment.



Firefox 28.0

19 March 2014


Mozilla has released Version 28.0 of the Firefox browser. The most significant changes are: the Gamepad API is now enabled, a volume control has been added for HTML5 multimedia, and VP9 4K & 8K video decoding has been implemented. Details are on page 3 of the Firefox Tweak Guide.



AMD Catalyst 14.3 Beta

18 March 2014


AMD has released the Catalyst 14.3 Beta 1.0 graphics driver for the HD 5000 series and above on Windows 7 and 8. This beta adds Mantle and AMD True Audio support for Thief, updates the COD: Ghosts Quad Crossfire profile, resolves audio issues when using CrossFire, as well as fixing BF4 VSync issues on Crossfire configurations when using Mantle.



Chrome 33.0

16 March 2014


Google has released Version 33.0.1750.154 of the Chrome browser. This version contains security and bug fixes.



Intel Chipset Device Software 10.0

14 March 2014


Intel has released Version 10.0.13 of the Chipset Device Software, the main driver for Intel chipset-based motherboards.



Nvidia Legacy GPUs

14 March 2014


Nvidia has announced that as of the Release 343 GeForce graphics drivers, they will be dropping support for a range of legacy cards, including the majority of the GeForce 8, 9, 100, 200 and 300 series, as well as the GeForce 405.



3DMark 1.2

14 March 2014


Futuremark has released a 1.2.362 Patch for the latest version of the 3DMark benchmark. The patch updates the SystemInfo module, improves reliability when submitting results, and contains bug fixes.



Opera 20.0

14 March 2014


The Opera browser has been updated to Version 20.0.1387.77. The changes in this version include stability fixes, and a Chromium update.



Shockwave 12.1

14 March 2014


Adobe has released Version 12.1.0.150 of the Shockwave player plugin for browsers.



Microsoft Security Updates

12 March 2014


Microsoft has released its monthly set of Windows security updates which you can download individually from here or get through Windows Update.



Chrome 33.0

12 March 2014


Google has released Version 33.0.1750.149 of the Chrome browser. This version updates the Flash Player, and contains security and bug fixes.



Flash Player 12.0

11 March 2014


Adobe has released Version 12.0.0.77 of the Flash Player plugin for browsers. Use Windows Update to update the built-in Flash Player in IE11 under Windows 8.



Nvidia GeForce 335.23 WHQL

11 March 2014


Nvidia has released the 335.23 WHQL certified graphics driver. This driver is for GeForce 8 and higher graphics cards under Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8. It is the recommended driver for Titanfall, also adding GPU clock offset options for the GTX 750 and 750 Ti cards, along with updated SLI and 3D Vision profiles and bug fixes. The driver package also contains the 9.13.1220 PhysX drivers.



Process Explorer 16.0

9 March 2014


Microsoft has released Version 16.02 of the free Process Explorer utility, which is a more detailed version of Task Manager. This version adds a refresh button to the thread’s stack dialog and fixes an issue with the Virus Total terms of agreement dialog box.



Process Monitor 3.1

9 March 2014


Microsoft has updated the free Process Monitor system monitoring utility to Version 3.1. This version adds registry create file disposition and a new /saveapplyfilter switch to apply the current filter to the output file as it saves it.



Windows XP End of Support

8 March 2014


Microsoft has announced that starting from today, Windows XP users will receive a notification on the desktop reminding them that XP End of Support is on 8 April 2014. To assist in transferring files and settings from XP to Windows 7 or 8, Microsoft has provided a free data migration tool here. I strongly recommend that all XP users switch to a recent and fully supported OS, preferably Windows 7 or 8, before XP eventually succumbs to significant security vulnerabilities.



Windows 8.1 Update 1

7 March 2014


It appears that Windows 8.1 Update 1 RTM has leaked and is available directly from Microsoft's servers. This page provides a compilation of the current methods to obtain this update. Be aware that it is not confirmed to be the RTM (final) version, and may cause problems if installed this way. The official release date is expected to be 8 April.


Update: Microsoft has swiftly plugged this leak. You can find the files elsewhere now, but with the official release quite close, I wouldn't recommend downloading them from untrusted sources.



South Park: The Stick of Truth

7 March 2014


If you're bored of the recent formulaic games we've been getting, and if you've ever seen an episode of the South Park TV series and found it amusing, then I strongly recommend getting the new South Park: The Stick of Truth game. I've uploaded a YouTube Video that provides a sample of the storyline and the RPG-based gameplay mechanics.



Opera 20.0

4 March 2014


The Opera browser has been updated to Version 20.0.1387.64. The changes in this version include drag and drop for Speed Dial, more menu items and greater customization, performance improvements for loading themes, and inline installation of extensions.



Chrome 33.0

4 March 2014


Google has released Version 33.0.1750.146 of the Chrome browser. This version contains security and bug fixes.



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