Microsoft's Windows 11 rant - it's a con!

[cliveshep]

Just bought a new desktop pc based on recommendations from readers on here, a Bee mini computer that is actually very good except.............it comes pre-loaded with activated Windows 11. I would have happily stayed with Windows 10 except cunning Microsoft make sure one has to upgrade (purchase) by withdrawing support. Not that Windows 10 was that remarkable but by the time support was being  potentially withdrawn they did at least get it to work reasonably well.

 

Windows 11 does seem to work but comes with a cunning plan built in as Blackadder (UK TV sitcom) would say. I saves one's documents 'in the cloud' and this includes one's videos. It's free and maybe you'd never know unless and until you reached the 5GB storage limit when it promptly starts not working, not allowing the opening of saved videos because the limit has been exceeded as happened to me, and presenting a table of charges associated with increasing storage capacity.

 

The file system in Windows 11 saves to the 'cloud' by default as I discovered, the folder 'documents' is not stored on my SSD. After some research I found one could cancel the 'synching' and manually set up a temporary folder, downloading painstakingly everything held in this ephemeral 'cloud' into this folder on the pc, and then delete everything on the 'OneDrive' and disconnect the synching function. I was then able to go into system and delete OneDrive and also Microsoft 365 Co-pilot, another Microsoft con trick built in.

 

Having done this, and deleting emails from Microsoft insisting I reinstate OneDrive, I found that Windows 11 would only save documents to a folder called 'Documents', by default. No surprises there so I renamed my docs folder on the SSD to 'Documents' and now Windows 11 is happy it seems.

 

Some might say 5GB is ample and stay with OneDrive but sensitive Banking info and passwords I feel should not be entrusted to an outside storage facility, especially one owned by Microsoft for fear of data breaches - I'm sure it is only a matter of time. I want to be in control of my own destiny and not be controlled by Ai which after all was designed by fallible men. After all, clouds get blown about by every puff of wind so I take that as a warning.

[Mutt Daeng]

1 hour ago, cliveshep said:

Just bought a new desktop pc based on recommendations from readers on here, a Bee mini computer that is actually very good except.............it comes pre-loaded with activated Windows 11. I would have happily stayed with Windows 10 except cunning Microsoft make sure one has to upgrade (purchase) by withdrawing support. Not that Windows 10 was that remarkable but by the time support was being  potentially withdrawn they did at least get it to work reasonably well.

 

Windows 11 does seem to work but comes with a cunning plan built in as Blackadder (UK TV sitcom) would say. I saves one's documents 'in the cloud' and this includes one's videos. It's free and maybe you'd never know unless and until you reached the 5GB storage limit when it promptly starts not working, not allowing the opening of saved videos because the limit has been exceeded as happened to me, and presenting a table of charges associated with increasing storage capacity.

 

The file system in Windows 11 saves to the 'cloud' by default as I discovered, the folder 'documents' is not stored on my SSD. After some research I found one could cancel the 'synching' and manually set up a temporary folder, downloading painstakingly everything held in this ephemeral 'cloud' into this folder on the pc, and then delete everything on the 'OneDrive' and disconnect the synching function. I was then able to go into system and delete OneDrive and also Microsoft 365 Co-pilot, another Microsoft con trick built in.

 

Having done this, and deleting emails from Microsoft insisting I reinstate OneDrive, I found that Windows 11 would only save documents to a folder called 'Documents', by default. No surprises there so I renamed my docs folder on the SSD to 'Documents' and now Windows 11 is happy it seems.

 

Some might say 5GB is ample and stay with OneDrive but sensitive Banking info and passwords I feel should not be entrusted to an outside storage facility, especially one owned by Microsoft for fear of data breaches - I'm sure it is only a matter of time. I want to be in control of my own destiny and not be controlled by Ai which after all was designed by fallible men. After all, clouds get blown about by every puff of wind so I take that as a warning.

Sounds like you are signing in to Windows using a Microsoft account which would enable saving to the cloud by default. I use a "local" account which I created at  Win 11 install time and don't have any such Win 11 problems. I also disable Onedrive as I also don't trust any cloud provider.

[Schoggibueb]

It's all in the settings. Go and change it the way you need it.

Cloud? Never ever I will store data's on a cloud. My datas - on my harddisk only. Regardless if Apple or Microsoft.

[Bday Prang]

My windows 10 laptop is continually trying to force 11 on me  often it seems by stealth....I will resist

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

My windows 10 laptop is continually trying to force 11 on me  often it seems by stealth....I will resist

 

I think support for Windows 10 will end in October.

You will have no choice but to update then.

Well, not exactly sure how it works. Since there will be no upgrades to Windows 10, I think it becomes highly susceptible to viruses and maybe new software won't even work well with Windows 10? Not sure. 

 

[JAG]

I vaguely recall that when Windows 10 was launched, we were told that it had put an end to the regular new editions of Windows which came out every couple of years.

[Bday Prang]

4 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 

I think support for Windows 10 will end in October.

You will have no choice but to update then.

Well, not exactly sure how it works. Since there will be no upgrades to Windows 10, I think it becomes highly susceptible to viruses and maybe new software won't even work well with Windows 10? Not sure. 

 

well if its anything like what happened to xp and 7 one will still be able to use it for ages. I was a land surveyor / construction engineer and some of my best software would not work on 10 so I still have a few pcs back in the uk with xp and 7 running both still work ok but xp is struggling with streaming some videos

I have never had an issue with viruses since I ditched all my anti virus software that tells me something too

[Schoggibueb]

No news. Apple as also Microsoft try to force you to buy their products.

Both of them tell you, that you have to buy a newer device, as they will stop the support for this hardware.

[Celsius]

Just use commodore 64 like in John Wick. No one can hack that.

[Lacessit]

The people at Technocom were aghast when when I uninstalled Windows 11 from my new laptop, and installed Linux Mint.

 

If I wanted an OS perpetually spying on me............

 

 

[Bday Prang]

9 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

The people at Technocom were aghast when when I uninstalled Windows 11 from my new laptop, and installed Linux Mint.

 

If I wanted an OS perpetually spying on me............

 

 

well done I wish I was savvy enough to do the same

[Bday Prang]

12 minutes ago, Schoggibueb said:

No news. Apple as also Microsoft try to force you to buy their products.

Both of them tell you, that you have to buy a newer device, as they will stop the support for this hardware.

not to mention inbuilt obsolescence things specifically designed to fail  IIRC apple were caught sending out software to slow their older I phones down a few years ago   their excuse was it was to save the batteries   Bastrrds

[Lacessit]

7 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

well done I wish I was savvy enough to do the same

My son helped me with installation. He builds computers for high-end gamers.

[Jim Blue]

7 hours ago, JAG said:

I vaguely recall that when Windows 10 was launched, we were told that it had put an end to the regular new editions of Windows which came out every couple of years.

You mean MSN said one thing and then did something else !

[topt]

On 8/4/2025 at 9:50 AM, cliveshep said:

Not that Windows 10 was that remarkable but by the time support was being  potentially withdrawn they did at least get it to work reasonably well.

Just curious any reason why you posted this topic in The Lounge rather than in the IT forum? 

 

Quite a big thread started last year about Win 10 EOL which has some different options for those who want to continue to get security updates and not "upgrade" to Win 11.

 

[Cameroni]

On 8/4/2025 at 4:50 AM, cliveshep said:

Just bought a new desktop pc based on recommendations from readers on here, a Bee mini computer that is actually very good except.............it comes pre-loaded with activated Windows 11. I would have happily stayed with Windows 10 except cunning Microsoft make sure one has to upgrade (purchase) by withdrawing support. Not that Windows 10 was that remarkable but by the time support was being  potentially withdrawn they did at least get it to work reasonably well.

 

Windows 11 does seem to work but comes with a cunning plan built in as Blackadder (UK TV sitcom) would say. I saves one's documents 'in the cloud' and this includes one's videos. It's free and maybe you'd never know unless and until you reached the 5GB storage limit when it promptly starts not working, not allowing the opening of saved videos because the limit has been exceeded as happened to me, and presenting a table of charges associated with increasing storage capacity.

 

The file system in Windows 11 saves to the 'cloud' by default as I discovered, the folder 'documents' is not stored on my SSD. After some research I found one could cancel the 'synching' and manually set up a temporary folder, downloading painstakingly everything held in this ephemeral 'cloud' into this folder on the pc, and then delete everything on the 'OneDrive' and disconnect the synching function. I was then able to go into system and delete OneDrive and also Microsoft 365 Co-pilot, another Microsoft con trick built in.

 

Having done this, and deleting emails from Microsoft insisting I reinstate OneDrive, I found that Windows 11 would only save documents to a folder called 'Documents', by default. No surprises there so I renamed my docs folder on the SSD to 'Documents' and now Windows 11 is happy it seems.

 

Some might say 5GB is ample and stay with OneDrive but sensitive Banking info and passwords I feel should not be entrusted to an outside storage facility, especially one owned by Microsoft for fear of data breaches - I'm sure it is only a matter of time. I want to be in control of my own destiny and not be controlled by Ai which after all was designed by fallible men. After all, clouds get blown about by every puff of wind so I take that as a warning.

 

Yeah, you signed up with the Microsoft account. 

 

Rookie mistake.

[topt]

23 hours ago, Bday Prang said:

My windows 10 laptop is continually trying to force 11 on me  often it seems by stealth....I will resist

 

22 hours ago, save the frogs said:

 

I think support for Windows 10 will end in October.

You will have no choice but to update then.

Well, not exactly sure how it works. Since there will be no upgrades to Windows 10, I think it becomes highly susceptible to viruses and maybe new software won't even work well with Windows 10? Not sure. 

 

Ends supposedly on October 14th as you say but see my link above. There are both paid and "unpaid" options to continue with it. I particularly like the Massgrave option but won't suit everyone - 

https://massgrave.dev/windows10_eol

 

For some people they cannot update to 11 as the spec of their hardware doesn't match what is needed for 11.........New pc anyone........\

 

 

[Bacon1]

 

 

  *Moved to:

   IT & Computers forum*

[DrPhibes]

Made the move to Win11 on a 2017 Alienware 17 R4 laptop beast bypassing the normal update about 3 months ago.  The only reason it would not automatically update was the CPU was right at the line drawn in the sand for qualifying for update.  Has TMP 2.0.  The update was relatively painless except I can no longer use the Brother software to duplex scan over the WiLAN for my older, but very reliable,  MFC 2740DW all-in-one printer.  Getting the WiFi to be recognized was a pain but searches online resolved that fairly quickly.  Have been receiving updates no problem.

 

Good luck everyone!

 

 

[Cameroni]

Windows 7 was the best. Still using it on one of my laptops.

[save the frogs]

https://www.pcmag.com/explainers/keep-windows-10-pc-alive

 

The Extended Security Update (ESU) program lets you extend your Windows 10 PC’s life .

People who pay for a subscription can keep getting security updates for Windows 10 until October 2028.

 

But Google has a special operating system named ChromeOS Flex. 

 

Anyone try ChromeOS Flex? I think Linux is not very good. 

 

[Harrisfan]

Windows 98 is best.

[topt]

14 minutes ago, save the frogs said:

 I think Linux is not very good. 

Have you ever tried it?

Do you have any idea of how many different variants there are?

[Celsius]

37 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Windows 7 was the best. Still using it on one of my laptops.

 

Windows 11 is decent once you disable sign in and uninstall one drive backup or whatever it is called today. Certainly easier than installing Linux which is compatible with virtually nothing.

[Cameroni]

3 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

Windows 11 is decent once you disable sign in and uninstall one drive backup or whatever it is called today. Certainly easier than installing Linux which is compatible with virtually nothing.

 

Agreed, I have no problems with it. Just don't like the hobbled together nature of the new layouts. I liked it when things were separated properly, like in Win 7. Segregation is greatly underrated.

 

Only a bloody fool would run Linux, obviously.

[jaywalker2]

On 8/4/2025 at 11:26 AM, Mutt Daeng said:

Sounds like you are signing in to Windows using a Microsoft account which would enable saving to the cloud by default. I use a "local" account which I created at  Win 11 install time and don't have any such Win 11 problems. I also disable Onedrive as I also don't trust any cloud provider.

Even with a local account, onedrive will automatically backup everything to the cloud unless you turn off the synch function. Even then, you'll keep getting reminders to back up your files. I finally had to uninstall Onedrive, which was nothing but an annoyance as is the Edge browser. Windows 11 is a actually better than Windows 10 once you turn off all the data mining features. Better, though, doesn't mean it's good. Phone software is much nore advanced which shows you what a failure Windows has been.

[cjinchiangrai]

On 8/4/2025 at 9:16 PM, Bday Prang said:

My windows 10 laptop is continually trying to force 11 on me  often it seems by stealth....I will resist

Disable the TPM and it will stop asking.

[cjinchiangrai]

21 minutes ago, Cameroni said:

Only a bloody fool would run Linux, obviously.

Linux is actually pretty good but you need to know more to run it and you need to learn some new apps. It is much more virus resistant.

[save the frogs]

11 hours ago, cjinchiangrai said:

Linux is actually pretty good but you need to know more to run it and you need to learn some new apps. It is much more virus resistant.

 

why are there so many variants of linux?

i guess a bunch of programmers who never got hired by microsoft need to show off and compete?

linux also seems more for programmers than average users.

most people want the OS to get out of the way while they do work, not waste time configuring the OS. 

 

[cjinchiangrai]

1 minute ago, save the frogs said:

 

why are there so many variants of linux?

i guess a bunch of programmers who never got hired by microsoft need to show off and compete?

linux also seems more for programmers than average users.

most people want the OS to get out of the way while they do work, not waste time configuring the OS. 

 

I understand, but even in windows, if you understand the control panel and command code you can fix most of the issues in the OP.