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Microsoft is having a bad month. Not long after the Windows 11 24H2 update began rolling out, the issues have just been piling on. At first it was drivers crashing PCs and mouse cursors disappearing. Then it was tons of undeletable data left behind after updating. Some users are even running into dead internet connections and network issues.

Then came Patch Tuesday on October 8, where we got two updates that primarily address security vulnerabilities: update KB5044284 for users on Windows 11 24H2 and update KB5044285 for users on older versions Windows 11 23H2 and Windows 11 22H2.

Unfortunately, this important cumulative security update is yet another headache for Windows 11 users as both updates are apparently failing to install with various possible error codes:

0x800736b30x800700050x800f08380x8007371b

Some users are also reporting that Windows Update gets stuck in the update process at 40 percent, while others say that their updates get stuck somewhere between 90 and 95 percent. After waiting several minutes without progress, Windows undoes the update and try again.

What to do if you’re having this issue

Fortunately, there’s a simple workaround. To resolve installation problems, you can use the Microsoft Update Catalog instead:

Visit the Microsoft Update Catalog.At the top right, use the search box to search for KB5044284 (if you’re on 24H2) or KB5044285 (if you’re on 23H2 or 22H2).Find the Windows version you’re using (either x64 or arm64), then click the Download button to the right.In the resulting pop-up window, you’ll see two .MSU file links. Click both links to download both files to your computer.Double-click on one of the .MSU files to start the installation wizard and follow the on-screen instructions.

If you correctly follow the steps, you’ll be prompted to restart your computer twice, and then the update will be installed.

Alternatively, you can also use the Windows 11 Installation Assistant to install the October patch without losing any personal files. We previously explained how to do that in this article.

Other problems that come with Windows 11 update KB5044284

In addition to the aforementioned update installation failures, other users are reporting a strange error that causes the OpenSSH service to stop working. It simply stops launching after updating, with no error messages or logs giving any indication of the error.

You should be able to work around the OpenSSH error by deleting or renaming the C:\ProgramData\ssh\logs directory. Afterwards, the SSH service should resume normally again.

Uninstalling the KB5044284 update

If you’re experiencing too many issues with the update and you just want to return to a pre-update state, you can uninstall it with these steps:

Open the Settings app.Navigate to Windows Update in the left sidebar.Select Update history.Scroll down and select Uninstall updates.Locate update KB5044284 and click Uninstall.Restart your computer.

Further reading: What I like most in Windows 11’s 24H2 update

This article originally appeared on our sister publication PC-WELT and was translated and localized from German.

It’s now easy enough to find a laptop with a spiffy, super-vibrant OLED screen. But two OLED screens at once? That’s the stuff of science fiction — and, well, Lenovo’s weird Yoga Book 9i. But if you’re looking for a more conventional laptop design with a keyboard that just happens to go double-barrel on the screens, then GPD’s Duo is just that.

And right now, you can place an order for the GPD Duo on Indiegogo, with a starting price tag of $1,275. (GPD is a Chinese hardware company that’s best known for its handheld gaming gadgets, but it’s been branching out into standard laptops over the last few years.)

Related: Are OLED laptops worth the extra price?

The Duo is actually GPD’s biggest device yet, with dual 13.3-inch OLED touchscreen panels running at 2880×1800 resolution each. Those screens can fold in on each other to show only one interior display (like a standard laptop), one interior and one exterior (good for presentations, I suppose), or flip up to show both screens at once in a stacked array. (I hope the dual hinge is sturdy, but you can also back it up with a fold-out kickstand in its stacked configuration.)

GPD

GPD

GPD

Inside the laptop is a familiar set of full-power specs, including an AMD Ryzen 7 8840U processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage on the base model. The top-end version ($1,867) has a newer Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU and an impressive 64GB of RAM and 2TB of storage.

As you might expect, this thing isn’t exactly super portable thanks to those double screens and its beefy main body to support them. But it does offer a lot of ports: dual USB-C, dual USB-A, full-sized HDMI, Ethernet, an SD card slot, and even an OCuLink port for the sold-separately GPD G1 external graphics card.

This thing has the capacity to be a productivity monster with the right setup. Just make sure to lift with your legs — it’s 4.8 pounds (2.2 kilograms), which isn’t bad considering all that hardware. An 80-watt-hour battery powers it all, with 100-watt charging to get you back up to full in a jiffy. GPD claims 14 hours of battery life.

GPD

GPD

GPD

If you feel like upgrading, the dual M.2 slots can support up to 16TB of total storage. And it’s not even limited to enhancing its own hardware. That second screen can operate as an independent portable monitor with USB-C Alt Mode, so you can plug in another device and watch it on top of your laptop if you want. (GPD says it’s compatible with the Steam Deck, Nintendo Switch, and PS5, but consoles might need an adapter.)

It’s a super-cool design, to be sure, and GPD says that early birds will get their laptops in November. Normally we hesitate to suggest any kind of crowdfunding, but GPD has a very solid track record of delivering its devices on time. (I’ve personally bought a GPD XD myself and was pretty pleased.) Whether or not that extra screen will actually enhance your laptop experience? Well, I won’t speculate on that… and I won’t lay down four figures on it before reading reviews, either.

Further reading: The good, bad, and ugly of OLED laptops

Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer, PCWorld

Michael is a 10-year veteran of technology journalism, covering everything from Apple to ZTE. On PCWorld he’s the resident keyboard nut, always using a new one for a review and building a new mechanical board or expanding his desktop “battlestation” in his off hours. Michael’s previous bylines include Android Police, Digital Trends, Wired, Lifehacker, and How-To Geek, and he’s covered events like CES and Mobile World Congress live. Michael lives in Pennsylvania where he’s always looking forward to his next kayaking trip.

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It’s surprising how quickly storage drives can fill up. As soon as you think you have enough, you blink your eyes and suddenly wondering what you can delete to free up space. Honestly, you can never have too many storage drives — even when they’re enormous.

That’s why we’re so happy to see this 4TB Samsung T9 portable SSD on sale for $300 at Amazon, a huge 45% discount off its $550 MSRP.

There are so many reasons to want one of these. Our reviewing expert Jon Jacobi gave the Samsung T9 portable SSD a near-perfect score and our Editors’ Choice award, finding that it doesn’t just offer great performance but is also rugged enough to keep your data truly safe:

“The latest in a series of excellent portable SSDs that started around eight years ago with the T1, Samsung’s T9 is the first to bring SuperSpeed USB 20Gbps performance to the table. If you’re blessed with [a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port], it will nearly double the sustained throughput of the older T7.”

One of the main complaints he had was that it was pricey, but now that it’s on sale for nearly half off, it’s practically flawless.

The Samsung T9 works with any device, from laptops and desktops to gaming consoles and cameras. In fact, you can even use this one hooked up to a smartphone and cleanly record 4K video at 60 FPS.

If you need more portable storage, you can’t go wrong with this 4TB Samsung T9 portable SSD for $300 on Amazon — and this deal isn’t going to last forever, so jump on it if you’re interested. (If you don’t need such a huge drive, the T9 also comes in 1TB for $135 [23% off] and 2TB for $229 [24% off]. But the 4TB variant is the best value!)

Save $250 on 4TB of fast, reliable portable storageBuy now on Amazon

Author: Gabriela Vatu, Contributing Writer

Gabriela has focused on tech writing for 12 years, covering news, reviews, buying guides, deals, and more. She has bylines in numerous consumer tech publications, including PCWorld, Macworld, PCMag, IGN, MakeUseOf, XDA, Android Police, and Pocket-lint.

Recent stories by Gabriela Vatu:

Crucial’s super-fast 2TB portable SSD is 20% offThis speedy 1TB Samsung microSD card is back to its best-ever priceGrab SanDisk’s super-fast 512GB flash drive for just $35 this Prime Day