People learn best when they feel welcome: The Story of Microsoft Security User Group Norway
Re-emerging and Reconnecting: How It All Began This is the third story in the User Group blog series. In 2022, as communities around the world slowly returned to in-person gatherings, many in the tech ecosystem were asking the same question: How do we create spaces where people genuinely want to reconnect? In Norway, where most security events were still held online, a small group of cybersecurity enthusiasts felt the absence of real conversation and shared learning. They decided to change that. The idea was simple: build a space where people could meet, learn, and exchange real experiences — face-to-face. The first Microsoft Security User Group Norway meetup launched in Oslo with over 120 signups. Local speakers shared real-world insights, discussions continued long past the final session, and the energy was unmistakable. “From that first meetup, it was clear — people were ready to be together again.” Microsoft MVP, Craig Forshaw, recalled the moment when a community began to take shape. A Community Built on Inclusivity and Shared Learning Today, the Microsoft Security User Group Norway “Organizers of the Microsoft Security User Group (from left to right), Anders Kristiansen, Haflidi Fridthjofsson, Sanna Diana Tomren, Craig Forshaw & Cody Burkhard” continues to host regular meetups in both physical and virtual formats. All sessions are delivered in English to welcome local professionals, international practitioners, students, and those completely new to security. What makes the group stand out is the atmosphere. Each event blends deep technical content with open conversation, ensuring that everyone — regardless of background — feels comfortable contributing. “People learn best when they feel welcome. Our priority has always been to create a space where everyone feels they belong.” Co-organizer, Anders Kristiansen says. A typical meetup might include expert speakers, live demos, interactive quizzes with community swag, and conversations that spill into hallways, sidewalks, and late-evening coffee shops. But the structure is secondary. The human connection is what keeps the community thriving. Sessions That Evolve With the Security Landscape No two meetups look the same — and that’s intentional. The group explores a wide range of topics, including blue and red teaming, Microsoft Sentinel operations, identity security, cloud and infrastructure protection, DevSecOps, and real-world threat detection. The organizers also host informal post-Build and post-Ignite discussions — opportunities to gather, reflect, and ask: What does this mean for us in practice? The organizing team reflects a diversity of backgrounds and experiences: Craig Forshaw, Microsoft MVP Anders Kristiansen, Microsoft MVP Sanna Diana Tomren, Microsoft MVP Haflidi Fridthjofsson, MVP Alumni now at Microsoft Cody Burkhard, bringing new perspectives to the team “Our different experiences are part of the strength of the group. We learn from each other as much as the community learns with us.” Another co-organizer and Microsoft MVP, Sanna Diana Tomren mentioned. More Than Events: A Platform for Growth and Opportunity Over time, the user group has become far more than a schedule of meetups. It has created opportunities for members — and organizers — to grow in unexpected ways. “This community has given many of us the confidence to speak publicly, share our work more openly, and step into new professional roles.” One of meetup attendees mentioned. Several members have delivered their first talks through the group. Some have gone on to publish technical content, collaborate with peers across industries, and even transition into new roles, including at Microsoft. For the organizers, this journey has also shaped leadership, communication skills, and professional direction. “When the work feels joyful and the community feels like home, you know you’re building something meaningful,” said Haflidi Fridthjofsson, a former MVP now a Microsoft employee. Looking Ahead: Expanding Connections Near and Far The next chapter focuses on collaboration and reach — partnering with other user groups across Norway and globally, welcoming new members, and continuing to create spaces where all voices are valued. The vision remains the same: “We want to continue building a community where people feel welcome, supported, and inspired to keep learning.” Thinking of Starting Your Own User Group? A few reflections from the journey so far: Start with Purpose: Let your motivation guide your event style, format, and outreach strategy. Whether your vision is small coffee shop gatherings or large-scale meetups, clarity helps build momentum. Be Patient and Consistent: Communities grow steadily, not instantly. Focus on creating relevant, well-structured sessions. And don’t be afraid to invite co-organizers—they bring new energy and help sustain the journey. Keep It Fun: When people are smiling, asking questions, networking, and yes—when the pizza arrives on time—community comes alive. Enjoy the process as much as the outcome. We’d also like to give a special thanks to Microsoft Norway for their continued support through venue hosting and sponsorship Stay tuned for the next story in the User Group blog series, where we’ll spotlight another inspiring MVP-led community and the unique ways they’re empowering others through connection and collaboration. If you missed the other posts, check out the stories below: TechNexus: A Best Practice in Building Passion-Driven Tech User Groups Powering Up People: Growing Tech Communities Through UK Dynamics 365 & Power Platform Groups Resources Meetup site: Microsoft Security User Group | Meetup LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/msug YouTube: Microsoft Security User Group - YouTube Call for speakers: Microsoft Security User Group 2025: Call for Speakers @ Sessionize.com
new to windows 11
well here i am on windows 11, with a brand new computer that i just bought three days ago , i am a little overwhelmed with ease of of moving all my files etc from my old pc to the new one thanks to ms one drive pretty impressive, my hard drive froze in my old pc which i had the extended updates until 2026 put unfortunately i was forced to get a new pc , now as far as windows 11 so far compared to windows 10, well to be honest i have had it running on my new pc for about 4 days now and have to say the responsiveness of 11 is better than 10, but as far as being stable as windows 10 well we will see what the future brings, i am still experimenting with 11, a lot more security features in 11 for sure a little different layout than 10 but so far i have to say its pretty impressive compared to 10, hers hoping i don't eat my words here in the future but all in all i will say not to bad so far, like anything else takes a while to to get onto to the changes but all in all pretty impressed to say the least ,not sure how many others feel the same though, time will tell .Updated tutorial for RecycleBin Secure Delete
I have a new Windows 11 PC...a significant upgrade from the old Windows 10 machine. In TenForums.com I found the tutorial for how to use SDelete from the Recycle Bin context menu to shred files that are deleted. This tutorial kind of works in Windows 11. The old Windows 10 registry entries to add the command to the context menu are still available, but only if I select "Show more options" from the context menu that is displayed when I right-click on the Recycle Bin icon. I looked through the tutorials on this site for an updated registry changes to add Secure Delete to the primary Win11 context menu, but was unable to find anything. Did I miss something? Having this functionality available from the top context menu would be very useful for me. Thanks,Windows 11 Family Child Accounts Don't Stay Authenticated to XBox App
Hi all, I have just coming across this issue in the last 48-72 hours for my 2 children who are 11 1/2 and 13 1/2. Whenever they open the XBox App on Windows 11 they are prompted to Sign In or just Browse the App, they select Sign in and it gives them a "Welcome Back message" and confirm to use that account or sign in with another. If they close the app and re-open it they are prompted to sign in again. We have Microsoft Family setup and have tested this across 3 seperate devices and it behaves the same. If I log into the XBox App though then close it and re-open I stay logged in. This issue has extended onto causing sign in/authentication issues for games installed/downloaded from the Windows Store/XBox app. Mainly Minecraft Bedrock, PalWorld and Roblox. Minecraft Bedrock opens but says they are not signed in. When you click sign in within a few seconds you get the error message "Drowned" Roblox Application opens to the Roblox title screen but there is nothing to click on to sign in etc. Just the background picture. PalWorld looks like its going to start to launch, you see a brief message saying Signing In and Syncing then Palworld shows the error: "The game crashed Error code: (0x8000ffff)" or "Something went wrong launching your game Error code: (0x8007023e)" and occassionally 'Something went wrong launching your game. Error code: (0x87e10802). If I uninstall the version of say Roblox from the XBox and app download and install it directly from the Roblox website it works correctly. I reloaded my sons computer from scratch and the issue is still there. Someone mentioned about some recent authentication issues Microsoft have been having. Any help greatfully received. Thanks, Dwarfboysim
Screen Resolution setting for TV
Hello.... My screen resolution for my TV is off and I can't get the right setting under Windows 11 no matter which setting I set it at ( Scale and Display resolution ) I know with Windows 7 I was able to manually resize the screen, now with Windows 11 I can't seem to find the same setting. Anyone know what options I can try? Thx Dell Precision 3240 Compact Service Tag: H8BXQ53Can't fix/remove white border in classic context menus in dark mode.
I have been having this problem with just one of my computers. I think it started a year or so ago when I upgraded to Windows 11. The problem on this machine is I have an ugly white border around the right click context menus. (I am using the classic menus - the new styling was fixed according to a tutorial here.) I keep thinking I will find an answer yet nothing helps. What I've tried: Accesability settings - they are fine. Changing themes - no difference. Repair install of Windows 11 25H2 - no difference. And lots of other things. This is what I am looking at. My laptop on the same build has no white line around the context meus... Windows 11 Build 26.200.6884 - 25H2 Hopefully someone can give me a hand with this. Incidentally I am not using any tweakers or Customizers, just bare Windows 11. Thanks in advance.Newsletter - Microsoft Global Community Initiative - November 2025
Microsoft Global Community Initiative Newsletter November 2025 👋Hello MGCI Members around the world, Welcome to this month’s newsletter sharing insights on what’s happening in communities around you. Microsoft Ignite, Nov 17-21 in San Francisco It’s November! Which means, Microsoft Ignite is right around the corner and behind the scenes we are preparing theater sessions and connections pods for our community. Check out the schedule for all community-focused sessions and make sure you don’t miss out on session such as: Tue, Nov 18: Community Connection Pod: Microsoft Global Community Initiative: Connecting People, Powering Impact Speakers: Heather Cook (Microsoft) & Isidora Katanic (Experts Inside) This session introduces the Microsoft Global Community Initiative and how it empowers individuals to share knowledge, collaborate, and drive change worldwide. Join us to learn how you can participate, lead, and amplify your voice in this global movement. Wed, Nov 19: Community Theater: Women in Tech & Allies: Turning Allyship into Action Speakers: Heather Cook (Microsoft), Karuana Gatimu (Microsoft), Danielle Moon (Microsoft), Isidora Katanic (Experts Inside), Femke Cornelissen (Wortell) Allyship isn’t a buzzword—it’s a commitment to creating workplaces where everyone can thrive. Join this interactive Community Forum to explore what authentic allyship looks like and why it matters. We’ll share real-world scenarios, practical strategies, and personal stories that highlight how allies can advocate, amplify, and act. Whether you identify as an ally or want to engage allies in your journey, you’ll leave with actionable steps to foster inclusion, challenge bias, and build a culture of equity in tech. Thu, Nov 20: Community Connection Pod: Engage, Connect, Grow: Your Path in the Microsoft Community Speakers: Heather Cook (Microsoft), Jonathan Jones (Microsoft), Shari L. Oswald (PowerUP!Learning), Eric Overfield The Microsoft community is a powerful network of professionals, advocates, and innovators—but where do you start? This interactive session will show you how to get involved, share your expertise, and build your personal brand. Learn best practices from experienced community leaders and discover opportunities to contribute meaningfully. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned participant, you’ll leave inspired and equipped to take your next step. Next General Session – November 18 th Don’t miss out on the next General Session taking place on November 18th. Mark your calendars and join us LIVE for the AM or PM session broadcasted on the Microsoft Tech Community. With updates directly from Ignite and other cool community topics, we are looking forward to welcoming you in this month’s general session with: Topic: Running Events & Building Community in Tough Environments Host: Heather Cook, Principal PM, Microsoft Customer Advocacy Group, Microsoft Guest Speakers: Augustine Correa, Biz Talk Lead at CompuCom and Oluwaseyi Oluwawumiju, Management Executive at Convenant Technologies In this session, we explore strategies for executing impactful events in challenging or resource-constrained environments. Speakers will share insights on fostering community resilience and engagement when external conditions are less than ideal. Attendees will leave with practical tools and inspiration to build meaningful connections through events, regardless of circumstance. 📅 November 18 ⏰ 8:10 AM PT - https://aka.ms/MGCIMtgAM 📅 November 18 ⏰ 5:10 PM PT - https://aka.ms/MGCIMtgPM Community Spotlight: #CommunityLuv Celebrating 3 years of communitydays.org we would like to shine a light on one of our Board Members Tom Daly’s LinkedIn post. What started as a small idea, turned out to be THE one-stop-shop featuring hundreds of Microsoft tech community events around the world. You can like, share or comment on the post here on LinkedIn. Congratulations, November MVPs! On November 1 st , Microsoft welcomed a selected group of newly awarded Microsoft Most Valuable Professionals (MVP) into the MVP Program. We love to see this community growing, which is a proof of the commitment out there to communities worldwide. A big congratulations to the newly awarded MVPs! ESPC, Dec 1-4, Dublin here we come! Our MGCI (Board) Members and Microsoft leaders are heading over to Dublin to attend, speak, or staff their sponsor booths at ESPC in Dublin. The conference covers topics around Microsoft 365 & AI technologies and you can still register to attend. More than 3000+ IT enthusiasts will gather together to learn and achieve more with Microsoft 365 & AI. Come join us! MGCI in December ❄️ Join in with a cup of hot chocolate, as our monthly general session will take place on December 16th, right before the winter break starts. Stay tuned as more details will follow in next month's newsletter. Upcoming Events Upcoming Community Led Events Community Days | Fabric Data Days | Nov 4-11 | Hybrid Community Days | Vancouver Microsoft 365 Summit | November 6 | Vancouver, BC, Canada Community Days | MN M365 15TH BI-ANNUAL FALL WORKSHOP DAY | November 7 | Edina, Minnesota Community Days | AI COMMUNITY DAYS - TUNIS | November 8 | Tunis, Tunisia Community Days | COLLABDAYS GREECE 2025 | November 8 | Virtual Community Days | Experts Live Emirates 2025 | November 10-11 | Dubai, UAE Community Days | Viva Engage Festival - APAC | November 12 | APAC Virtual Community Days | Viva Engage Festival - EMEA | November 12 | EMEA Virtual Community Days | Update Conference Prague 2025 | November 13-14 | Prague, Czechia Community Days | Microsoft Ignite 2025 NYC Community Summit | November 17-18 | New York City, NY Community Days | M365 Community Days DC - Microsoft Ignite 2025 Watch Party + Unconference | November 18 | Washington DC Community Days | SmartCloud 365 - 2025 | November 25 | Germany Virtual Community Days | Shift Enter Summit 2025 | November 26 | Mixát, Budapest Microsoft Global Community Initiative Resources We’ve made it easy for you to find all the MGCI resources you need at your fingertips. This space features the PowerPoint decks from our Monthly General Sessions and Event Training Sessions & Office Hours as well all MGCI Event Producer playbooks, checklists and templates. Check it out! Missed last month's events? In case you missed our October events, you can check out the recordings of the General Sessions here: AM General Session PM General Session And the recording of the Event Organizer training here: MGCI Event Organizer Training Sincerely, Your Board Officers Microsoft Global Community InitiativeBuilding relationships in data model to leverage power pivot - circumventing unique key ID issue
When building relationships between two data tables in the data model of excel, you require a unique ID / key to relate the two datasets. This makes sense but I find it has an issue: It requires you to reduce the entirety of your dataset down to unique ID's in one of your tables so that it can do the 'one to many' relationship build. If you don't have unique ID's / key, the relationship between two tables often doesn't work. Yes you can use an intermediary table with unique ID's to link the two complete tables, but when using that intermediary table I find you are limited in what additional data rows you can bring into the combined power pivot table to provide context to the relationship. Once you start bringing in contextual rows from the separate tables, there ends up being a lot of repeated values for any numerical figure from the other table, which you are trying to aggregate. An example below of the power pivot table result (data from table 1 in blue, from table 2 in green) Product ID (Unique Key) Service Line Sales Amount COGS 169AKY T Shirts $1,000 $7,500 169AKY Sweaters $2,000 $7,500 169AKY Socks $3,000 $7,500 169AKY Turtle necks $4,000 $7,500 169AKY Pants $5,000 $7,500 COGS from table 2 also has the data broken out by Service Line (T-shirts, Sweaters, etc.), but will only show an aggregate COGS value for all service lines for each unique product ID, instead of breaking it out by Service Line. This is because the Service Line column is being inserted into the power pivot table from table 1, it breaks out sales by Service Line. If you insert the Service Line data column into the power pivot from table 2, COGS would be broken out by Service Line, and only an aggregate for sales would be produced. Ideally the power pivot would display sales AND COGS broken out by Service Line (and Product ID). Is there a best practice for building relationships (unique ID's) between data tables: Without reducing the richness / variety of columns and data in your original tables (when creating the unique ID)? Maybe 'group by' function in power query to obtain unique ID's before building the relationship? With retaining the ability to slice and dice the data by different characteristics (assuming they are present in both source tables) and have that detail presented in the power pivot. Thanks for the help! The humble ApprenticeLong Delay Before Splash Screen Appears Prior to Windows Starting
This is an odd one I noticed a couple of days ago, and may have happened previously, but not certain as I just start it and do something else in the meantime, but it's usually only for a very short time. In this instance, I powered on the laptop and was glancing over at it whilst doing other things in the room. After a time when I expected to see the Windows login screen, the screen was still black. At this point I thought that maybe I pressed the F12 or Delete button by mistake, so went over to start it again, only to see that the power light was lit. Around this time, the HP Omen splash screen appeared, followed a couple of seconds later by the Windows login. I used Wintoys to see my boot time, and it 51.3 seconds. Checking it ever since, the boot times are around the 8.1-8.5 seconds. I've checked the Event Viewer for Warnings and Errors, and this is what I get for the last three days (I didn't check further back), all the same. However, this is just Windows stuff, and the delay was prior to Windows starting, so is there any way to check the BIOS for debugging issues?
