Upgrading to Windows 11 .... now that the end of Windows 10 is looming :-(((

[Mognet]

Microsoft have removed their documentation on how to install Windows 11 without an account https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/06/microsoft-removes-documentation-for-switching-to-a-local-account-in-windows-11/ Looks like they're going to insist on users having an account with them.

Getting a Linux laptop is becoming more tempting!

[DaveL59]

That's not good 😞 

Even tho I do add a MS account I only use a local one. Even better the PC's always whinge about a 'problem with the MS account even tho its valid and works, it just doesn't get logged on very often. Did the same on Woes-10 too tho. I only ever added the MS account so it'd register the digital license for the win install, turns out tho that don't really work either since it doesn't seem to have any memories of any of them last I looked.

Wonder if having a domain server running AD would get around it? Not that I really want to go to the hassle of setting one up again but...

[Paul M]

I recently got 2 new mini PC's, generic machines with N100 processors. They came with W11 preinstalled, but I just blasted over it with Ubuntu.

Of my 6 Pc's, 1 is W10 - my imaging PC, and one is W11 - my daily use lap top.

I only suffer windows now because APT ( Astrophotography Tool) is Windows only. Unfortunately that is unlikely to change and will not be a reason to stay with Windows going forward.

[malc-c]

11 hours ago, DaveL59 said:

 

Wonder if having a domain server running AD would get around it? Not that I really want to go to the hassle of setting one up again but...

There will always be a way of removing the need to set up an MS account as the bulk of the income for MS is generated in the business sector and having to setup an MS account on each machine in a business environment would be impractical. It could well be that adding a machine to a Domain through Active Directory disables the need for an MS account, I don't know, and most of the youtube channels that demonstrate the way to get round this and other requirements of  installing Windows 11 focus on private user / domestic set ups rather than business machines

Edited June 26 by malc-c
typo

[Gfamily]

Is there a hope that with the ending of support for Win 10 it will become update- free? 

For the record: none of my machines are Win11 ready. 

[Xilman]

5 hours ago, Paul M said:

I recently got 2 new mini PC's, generic machines with N100 processors. They came with W11 preinstalled, but I just blasted over it with Ubuntu.

Of my 6 Pc's, 1 is W10 - my imaging PC, and one is W11 - my daily use lap top.

I only suffer windows now because APT ( Astrophotography Tool) is Windows only. Unfortunately that is unlikely to change and will not be a reason to stay with Windows going forward.

Does your APT run under WINE?  (My APT, Aperture Photometry Tool, is OS-agnostic.)

If not, how about a virtual machine with an elderly release of Windoze? Such systems are extremely easy to firewall off from attacks coming in from the interweb thingy.

Note to self: see if Lesvedome runs under WINE or in a VM. Lesvedome is the only component shackling my TCS to MS. Not yet tried it because hardware control is notoriously tricky except on natively hosted systems.

 

[Paul M]

1 hour ago, Xilman said:

Does your APT run under WINE?  (My APT, Aperture Photometry Tool, is OS-agnostic.)

If not, how about a virtual machine with an elderly release of Windoze? Such systems are extremely easy to firewall off from attacks coming in from the interweb thingy.

Note to self: see if Lesvedome runs under WINE or in a VM. Lesvedome is the only component shackling my TCS to MS. Not yet tried it because hardware control is notoriously tricky except on natively hosted systems.

 

I looked at WINE earlier this year but only a very old APT version was available.

I'm not desperate yet, I've got an old HP EliteDesk mini PC that I recently refurbed. It's running Ubuntu 24.04 nicely and I've got kStars/Ekos installed along with all the usual gubbins; PHD2, ASTAP...

I've not had chance to try it under the sky yet, but assuming everything plays nicely then that'll be my route.

I did have a period of KStars et al a while ago as part of Astroberry but my Pi 4 was devastatingly unstable...

[Gasman]

Fwiw I've just updated my oldish Lenovo laptop to Windows 11 even though it didn't meet the criteria (old unsupported cpu apparently) and its running better than it did with Win 10. I have to keep windows for some arty software I use which is windows only but  my other workhorse  laptop is running great with Zorin 17 linux which so far seems the best linux distro I've tried and even runs my windows arty stuff under wine although not perfect as the drivers have issues with my Pen tablet. If I was still observing I'd certainly give Zorin a try!

Steve

[Alien 13]

Have looked again at Linux distros but my favourite ones like Holoiso and Mint seem to be dead now along with POPOS s, will wait nearer the time to see if any others can tick most of the boxes for gaming and video editing..

Alan

[Gasman]

Well bit the bullet yesterday and upgraded my oldish i7 desktop to Windows 11 and everything working perfectly if not faster than with Windows 10 despite my pc not upto win 11 requirements ( another unsupported CPU). The YouTube vids really are excellent at describing these work arounds and it just needed emptying one particular file and off it went, no problems at all👍

[SteveNickolls]

Well I've made a start moving away from Windows for home use and soon for the astro-hobby. I really disagree with MS's policy of setting arbitary standards to legitimately use Windows 11 (and 12 when it arrives). So many otherwise decent pc's made fit only for landfill in their eye$$. So we now have a dual boot dual disc set up on our main pc with which to learn more of Linux Mint and wean ourselves off from MS altogether. For astronomy it will mean using an ASiair for imaging and mount control with Android and Linux to run the stacking and post processing software. 

All is not lost with running Win 10 after its end of formal support, MS hasn't yet decided on what it will charge per year for the continued security patches for domestic use, presently they have priced for corporate and student users. Other third party companies are offering even 5 years support at reasonable cost, so no need to panic if you don't want to.

Cheers,

Steve

Edited July 17 by SteveNickolls

[Alien 13]

If Linux could natively use NTSF file format then I would swap now..

Alan

[The Admiral]

51 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

51 minutes ago, Alien 13 said:

If Linux could natively use NTSF file format then I would swap now..

 

Forgive a question from a none too clued-up computer person, why is NTSF so important to you?

Like Steve, I'm migrating over to Linux Mint, and I'm finding it well suited to my needs. Why do you consider it dead? Is it specifically because of your gaming needs? From what I've read Linux can do a lot of video editing. For example, see https://youtu.be/wgFTHz7aA8Y?si=-IleWAuXbGZODVeM

Ian

[malc-c]

Just followed a youtube to do a custom build of windows 11 with an automated install (well for the most after selecting the language and keyboard).  I used Rufus to make the USB memory stick and windows 11 pro ISO and then used this site to generate the XML file to perform the unattended install and remove all the bloat.

So the old  Pentium Core2 Duo based Observatory PC now has a nice fast SSD, RAM upgraded to 16GB, and is running windows 11 Pro.

I still have to install EQMOD / Ascom / CdC etc... but it will be interesting to see how it performs