This week in tech felt like a popcorn machine: Windows shipped an emergency fix, Chrome pushed a rush-update, GPT-5 kept raising the bar, and security folks spotted fresh tricks from ransomware crews. Oh—and there’s shiny new hardware to drool over. Grab a sweet tea, Charleston—let’s translate headlines into plain English wins.
News For The Week:
Windows 11 gets an out-of-band fix for broken “Reset this PC” & recovery tools
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/august-19-2025-kb5066189-os-builds-22621-5771-and-22631-5771-out-of-band-ce99f225-f523-4d85-8039-54965e97d0ff
Microsoft released KB5066189 (optional) to fix August’s Patch Tuesday issue that broke Reset/Recovery on some Windows 11 23H2/22H2 PCs (and RemoteWipe for admins). If you use those tools, install the optional update from Settings → Windows Update → Optional updates available before you try a reset. (Microsoft Support)
There are also fresh “known issues” notes for 24H2 (NDI streaming stutter in OBS/NDI Tools after the August update). If your small business streams events or church services, switch NDI receive mode per the workaround while Microsoft investigates. (Microsoft Learn)—◦⊶◦—
Chrome pushes Stable 139 security updates—restart to finish the job
https://chromereleases.googleblog.com/2025/08/stable-channel-update-for-desktop_19.html
Google updated Chrome on desktop to 139.0.7258.138/.139 this week and posted matching notes for Android/ChromeOS. On every PC and phone: open chrome://settings/help, update, and relaunch. Edge users will see similar fixes roll in via the Stable channel. This is a good week to sync bookmarks and check that auto-update works on staff devices. (Chrome Releases, googblogs.com, Microsoft Learn)
For managed ChromeOS fleets, note that user-installed Chrome Apps stop working starting with ChromeOS 139 (admin-forced apps still work). Plan migrations. (Google Help)—◆◆◆—
OpenAI’s GPT-5 is live—and already powering Microsoft Copilot
https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-5/
OpenAI introduced GPT-5 on August 7 with better reasoning, fewer hallucinations, and new enterprise controls. It’s available in ChatGPT and via API, and OpenAI says Team/Enterprise/Edu access is rolling out. For small businesses, that means faster proposals, cleaner SOPs, and more reliable summaries—especially if you supply your own docs. (OpenAI)
Microsoft confirmed GPT-5 now powers Copilot across web, Windows, Mac, and mobile—so Outlook, Teams, and Edge should feel sharper without extra setup. We can help you set safe guardrails and data-retention policies so it fits your compliance needs. (Microsoft)—◈—◈—
Amazon says the next big leap isn’t just bigger LLMs—it’s reliable AI agents
https://www.theverge.com/decoder-podcast-with-nilay-patel/761830/amazon-david-luan-agi-lab-adept-ai-interview
In a new interview, Amazon’s AGI lab lead argues the future is “do-things” agents that complete multi-step tasks inside real apps—think booking, ordering, reconciling, filling forms—not just chat. For entrepreneurs, that points to near-term wins like automated invoicing, onboarding, and inventory adjustments that actually click the buttons for you (with logs and approvals). (The Verge)—✦⋰⋱✦—
Ransomware watch: Akira targets SonicWall SSL-VPNs—tighten WAN management now
https://www.aha.org/h-isac-white-reports/2025-08-04-h-isac-tlp-white-threat-bulletin-akira-ransomware-actively-targeting-sonicwall-ssl-vpns
Healthcare ISAC and incident responders report an uptick in Akira activity via SonicWall SSL-VPNs in late July/early August. Your move: update firewall firmware, disable management from the internet, rotate VPN passwords, and enforce MFA everywhere (including admin accounts). (American Hospital Association, Arctic Wolf)
SonicWall’s own PSIRT notes a recent SSL-VPN issue (SNWLID-2025-0013) and offers a temporary workaround if you can’t patch immediately—consider geofencing and lock down access lists. Holy City Computer Services can audit your edge before the weekend. (psirt.global.sonicwall.com)—◐═◑—
Fortinet fixes an auth-bypass that could grant super-admin—check your fabric
https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-24472
A recently updated Fortinet advisory details CVE-2025-24472, an authentication bypass affecting certain FortiOS/FortiProxy versions when Security Fabric is enabled. Translation: in some setups an attacker could gain very high privileges. Patch your firmware and restrict management interfaces to known IPs only. (NVD)—▣—▢—▣—
Hardware tease: Framework hints a “big” Laptop 16 update on Aug 26
https://www.theverge.com/news/763037/framework-is-teasing-a-big-update-for-august-26th-could-it-be-framework-16
Modular-laptop maker Framework is teasing a reveal next Tuesday. If it’s a refreshed Laptop 16, creators and tinkerers could get a more upgradeable, repairable machine—great for home studios that don’t want to toss a whole laptop when the GPU ages out. We’ll keep an eye on cooling, battery, and GPU options. (The Verge)—◇•◇—
Workstation muscle: Threadripper 9980X review says “niche—but wow”
https://www.techradar.com/pro/amd-ryzen-threadripper-9980x
A new pro review of AMD’s Threadripper 9980X (Zen 5) highlights absurd multi-core performance for 3D, video, and ML—but notes the platform’s cost and power draw make it overkill for most office PCs. For boutique studios and CAD shops, though, time saved = money saved. We can help decide when a high-core workstation beats a cloud render. (TechRadar)—○—●—○—
Entrepreneurs: grants with late-August deadlines to help you upgrade gear
https://www.detroitchamber.com/august-2025-small-business-grants/
If you’re chasing funding for a NAS, AI-ready laptop, or website refresh, there are still August grants open (some due today or this weekend). Roundups this month list national and regional options—perfect for solo founders and home-based businesses. (Detroit Regional Chamber, Essence)
For ongoing opportunities, bookmark the U.S. Chamber’s CO grant page and set a weekly reminder. Holy City Computer Services can draft the “tech ROI” section so reviewers see exactly what your purchase will do. (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)—✺✺✺—
Breach reminder: NY Business Council discloses data theft of 47k people—freeze your credit
https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/major-hack-hit-ny-business-council-over-47-000-people-affected-heres-how-to-stay-safe
A newly disclosed breach at the Business Council of New York State exposed SSNs, IDs, and payment details. Even if you weren’t affected, treat this as a drill: place a credit freeze, enable MFA everywhere, get an IRS IP PIN, and watch medical/insurance EOBs for odd charges. We can help staff set up password managers and 2FA the easy way. (TechRadar)
Windows Tips For The Week:
- If you need Reset/Recovery: install KB5066189 first (Settings → Windows Update → Optional updates available), then proceed. It specifically addresses the August bug. (Microsoft Support)
- Streaming woes after patching? If you use NDI/OBS, switch NDI receive mode to TCP/UDP (not RUDP) until Microsoft ships a fix. (Microsoft Learn)
- Chrome & Edge: visit chrome://settings/help (or edge://settings/help) and relaunch so security fixes apply. Do this on every device you or staff use. (Chrome Releases, Microsoft Learn)
- Lock down WAN management: on SonicWall/Fortinet, disable admin from the internet, allow-list office IPs, and enforce MFA; then patch to the latest firmware. (psirt.global.sonicwall.com, NVD)
AI Prompt Ideas:
“Grant-Pitch Tech ROI Builder (GPT-5).”
You are a small-business grants reviewer. I’ll paste my business description and the tech I want to buy (e.g., AI-ready laptop + NAS). Produce a 250-word narrative that quantifies ROI in time saved, errors reduced, and revenue protected. Include a 5-bullet budget, a 3-step rollout plan, and a one-sentence community impact line, written in a friendly, local tone for Charleston, SC.
From emergency Windows fixes to GPT-5 to browser security and ransomware hygiene, the week was busy—but you don’t have to tackle it alone. Holy City Computer Services helps Charleston small businesses, entrepreneurs, and home users make smart, safe moves: patching, browser hardening, SonicWall/Fortinet audits, grant-ready hardware plans, and Copilot/GPT-5 setup with guardrails. Call 843-670-4153, email support@holycityit.com, or visit https://www.holycityit.com. Let’s make your tech behave (and your budget smile).