Windows on IT News

After 30 Years of Development, Open-Source Windows Clone ReactOS Can Finally Run Half-Life 2

Sun, 05 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0800

The ReactOS project has been chasing a seemingly impossible goal for nearly 30 years: build an open-source operating system that can run Windows applications. It has been a slow, grinding process. But this week, the team hit two milestones. One is a fun demo. The other could matter for years to come.

First, the fun part. ReactOS can now run Half-Life 2.

That is a 22-year-old game, and on paper it does not sound like much. But it is a real step up from last month, when the project showed footage of the original Half-Life booting on ReactOS. Half-Life 2 uses Valve’s Source engine, which demands far more from an OS — DirectX 9 rendering, threaded audio, and complex input handling. Getting it to boot means the ReactOS kernel, graphics stack, and driver model are all working together at a level they have never reached before.

The test rig used a GeForce GTX 960 with NVIDIA’s legacy 368.61 Windows driver and a Creative Sound Blaster Audigy sound card. The latest nightly build launched the game.

Microsoft PowerToys to Add New AltWindowCycle Module for Switching Between Windows of the Same App

Fri, 26 Jun 2026 11:36:00 +0800

Microsoft plans to introduce a new AltWindowCycle module in PowerToys that will allow Windows 10 and Windows 11 users to quickly switch between multiple windows of the same application, similar to how Alt + Tab works but scoped to the current program only.

Huawei MatePad Edge Gets HarmonyOS 6.1.0.125 SP54 Update with Windows PC Connectivity

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:12:00 +0800

Huawei has begun rolling out the HarmonyOS 6.1.0.125 SP54 update for the MatePad Edge tablet, introducing support for direct file transfers with Windows PCs and a handful of quality-of-life improvements. The over-the-air update, which upgrades devices from version SP52, is now available to users across all MatePad Edge variants — the Wi-Fi-only QXS-W00, QXS-W10, and QXS-W20 models.

Microsoft's 2011 Secure Boot Certificates Begin Expiring — What It Means for Windows Users

Wed, 24 Jun 2026 18:00:00 +0800

Microsoft’s three core certificates underpinning the Windows Secure Boot mechanism are entering their expiration phase, with the first certificate reaching end-of-life on June 24, 2026. These certificates, issued in 2011, have served as the trust anchors for verifying the digital signatures of every firmware and software component during the PC boot process. The transition requires migrating the trust chain in system firmware from the 2011-era certificates to a new set issued in 2023.