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How to Upgrade Manually to Ubuntu 26.10 "Stonking Stingray"

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  With the development cycle for Ubuntu 26.10 officially underway, Canonical has published stonking/snapshot-1 . For early adopters, developers, and enthusiasts looking to ride the absolute edge of the open-source wave, the temptation to jump from the stable shores of 26.04 LTS, Resolute Raccoon, into the development stream is strong. Because the automated release pathways are not populated so early in the cycle, the standard do-release-upgrade -d tool will politely decline to find the new branch. To make the leap, we must step past the guardrails and manage our repository tracking manually. > Important Prerequisite: Upgrading to a day-one snapshot moves your environment into a highly experimental space. Ensure all core personal files, configurations, and local development repositories are thoroughly backed up before executing these steps. Ubuntu 26.04 has transitioned to a modern, structured deb822 formatting layout for core package sources. This means standard mod...
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Unlocking Hidden Windows Features with ViveTool

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When Microsoft tests new features in Windows, they don’t always roll them out to everyone right away. Instead, many updates are tucked away inside the system, waiting for Microsoft to flip a switch through A/B testing or staged rollouts. That’s where ViveTool comes in—a command-line utility that lets you enable (or disable) these hidden features before they officially reach the general public.

What is ViveTool?

ViveTool is a free, open-source utility created by Rafael Rivera and Albacore, two well-known Windows enthusiasts. It allows you to interact with Feature IDs inside Windows. Each experimental or upcoming feature has an associated ID, and ViveTool gives you direct control over toggling them on or off.

This tool has become especially popular with Windows Insider users who want early access to things like redesigned Settings pages, new Start menu layouts, taskbar tweaks, or advanced features Microsoft is quietly testing.

How ViveTool Works

  • Features in Windows are controlled by Feature Flags.

  • Microsoft enables or disables them server-side, but the code is already on your PC.

  • ViveTool lets you manually enable these flags via PowerShell or Command Prompt.

Example workflow:

  1. Download ViveTool from its official GitHub page.

  2. Extract it into a folder (for example, C:\ViveTool).

  3. Open PowerShell or Command Prompt as Administrator.

  4. Use a command like:

    vivetool /enable /id:<feature_id>

  5. Restart your PC to apply the change.

To turn something back off, swap /enable for /disable.

Why Use ViveTool?

  • Access upcoming features early: See what Microsoft is working on before it’s public.

  • Experimentation: Try hidden UI elements, new animations, or backend improvements.

  • Control: Turn off features that Microsoft forces but you don’t like.

Risks and Considerations

  • Stability: Features are hidden for a reason—they may be incomplete or buggy.

  • Compatibility: Some changes can break apps or system processes.

  • Updates: Microsoft may overwrite your changes with new builds.

Always note the Feature ID you enable so you can easily disable it if problems arise.

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