October 18, 2025Oct 18 Well, this guy is advising not to upgrade to Windows 11 for privacy reasons. Part of it has to do with the actual "chip" in the new computers.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Author 10 hours ago, johng said: Definitely time for Linux. Have you been using it? Most softwares work with it? Need to completely wipe out Windows when installing Linux, right?
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Popular Post Yes I use Debian for many years. you can use an package called Wine https://www.winehq.org/ to run windows programs but there native linux programs for most applications. There is no need to wipe the windows installation..you can (mostly need a bit of care) choose to keep both while installing the linux system dual/multi boot you can chose at boot time what OS you want.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 12 minutes ago, johng said: Yes I use Debian for many years. you can use an package called Wine https://www.winehq.org/ to run windows programs but there native linux programs for most applications. There is no need to wipe the windows installation..you can (mostly need a bit of care) choose to keep both while installing the linux system dual/multi boot you can chose at boot time what OS you want. I'm not sure a screenshot of a prompt will convince him 🥴 @save the frogs You can download a live image which you can use to boot Linux on your computer without touching the Windows or your hard drive. You boot the computer with the image from a CD/DVD or a thumb drive and have a look at it. https://linuxmint.com/download.php Linux can look very much like Windows and you have free programs the resemble most Windows programs. And, as johng said, most of those that does not have a native version, you can run through Wine.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Author 11 hours ago, farang51 said: You can download a live image which you can use to boot Linux on your computer without touching the Windows or your hard drive. So it would be a dual setup where you can go back and forth between Windows and Linux? This guy in the video above says Windows 11 is trying to block dual operating systems. He had to find a way to get around it. But I guess with Windows 10, it shouldn't be a problem.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 You can convert your w10pro to enterprise and possibly from the home version as well. Masgrave has all the information and os links for the conversion and you’ll get a few more years of w10 updates. btw, ran w7 for years without any updates and no issues at all, have the first version of w10 on a laptop, no updates since it’s been installed and no issues at all. Security is simple, don’t go wandering around into the unknown.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Yes you can go back and forth by rebooting and choosing the other OS...you can't switch without rebooting if that makes sense ? I have a dual boot Win 10 and Debian mini PC Linux will (mostly) respect the existing windows installation (just read the instruction carefully) Window installer will just overwrite any existing other OS so install the linux OS last.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 20 minutes ago, save the frogs said: So it would be a dual setup where you can go back and forth between Windows and Linux? The live version is not a dual boot. You simply boot on the media (CD/DVD/USB drive) where you put the live version, and it will run from that media without touching you existing installation. This is not for your daily use, it is only so you can try Linux and see if you want to use it. If you want to use it, you can install in either as a stand alone system og as a dual boot system together with Windows. You have one more way to still use Windows than what has been mentioned earlier in the thread. Besides the dual boot and the Wine solutions, you can use Virtual Box, which allows you to run a full version of Windows inside Linux. Or any other operation system you like, if only you have a licensed version or a free version of it. I use Virtual Box to run an old OS/2 to be able to play an old OS/2 game.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 An example of Virtual Box below. The browser displaying Aseannow is my ordinary Linux. At the top left is another version of Linux running in a window and at the bottom left is my old OS/2 running a game. Virtual machines are great if you want to run things you cannot run in you boot system or if you want to test software without the risk of harming your system.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Popular Post If the people on this forum actually follow the advice of people who have an idea of what they are doing, then most of this is not an issue. Firstly, you can apply another year of updates to Windows 10 for free. I uninstalled OneDrive from my PC, so no back up of my settings will take place. Most if not all Telemetry has been blocked. Any Outlook/Microsoft account used contains no identifying info. I don't use my real name anywhere, nor is it contained within the email address/Microsoft account. Secondly when/if upgrading to Windows 11, do it the 'unofficial way' using Rufus. Why? It allows the average user to bypass the privacy risks mentioned in the video. Namely, it removes the requirement for Secure Boot and TPM. It removes the requirement for an online Microsoft account. It helps you to set up a Local account sign-in It Disables data collection by allowing you to skip the questions that might confuse you during OOBE It Disables Bitlocker automatic device encryption. People are often advised to do it this way, but they often prefer to create arguments in favour of allowing Microsoft to do whatever they want. So now you understand why you may be told to use Rufus to install Windows 11.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Author I need a freakin' IT guy or an IT girl to set this up. Too much work for me. Basically, my understanding is Window 11 is doing the same as the phones. Apple and Google know everything you are doing because your phone is linked to your ID. So if you use your Windows 11 laptop to post on AN, Windows knows who you are. You are not anonymous at all. I guess as long as you're not doing anything crazy online, it won't be an issue.
October 18, 2025Oct 18 Author 11 hours ago, JakeC said: Sorry, but this is just rubbish, as you chose to ignore the post above yours. Sorry, tired now. But had a quick glance at your last post and it does contain a lot of useful info. Some of you guys are IT whiz kids. I will actually keep that info handy. Not planning to use Window 11 now, but it may be inevitable. Thanks. Appreciate it.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 When I purchased a new laptop with W11 already installed I had the shop, Advice IT install Ubuntu as the primary OS but with W11 still available (change during a reboot). The only reason to have W11 is to run an old laser printer that I have not been able to set up with Ubuntu, and to run financial software that has all of my records back to 1996. Ubuntu is not as "smooth" as Windows but gets you away from the personal Microsoft crap that they want.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 I know first hand that device-level tracking is done by Facebook. I got a lifetime ban last April for trash talking the US administration and Zuckerberg - my very last post was "WTF, Zuck?" I tried to appeal and in about 3 nanoseconds received the "Appeal denied" notification - obviously no human intervention, all AI/algo powered. I created a new email address on the same pc and tried to create a FB account with that address and a different name, and the "BANNED" reply was immediately returned. I wound up buying a new phone, creating ANOTHER new email address, and successfully created a FB account. In retrospect, I think FB should be considered a public utility. There are too many businesses and pertinent information FB alone holds access to. My point - if FB tracks at that level, I suspect Micro$oft does the same. They may deny it but I don't buy it.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 You can install WSL, Windows Subsystem for Linux, which comes with Ubuntu from the Microsoft App Store, and test alternative Linux programs. No dual boot. You start Windows and under Windows you start Linux in a window. You switch from Windows to Linux as you switch between Windows programs. When you want to stick with Windows, just uninstall WSL as any other Windows program. When you are convinced that you don't need Windows anymore, you can install Linux as dual boot for just in case, or scrap Windows completely. I wanted to get rid of Windows already long ago and finally Microsoft forced me to move because my Mini-PC isn't compatible with Win 11. A couple of weeks ago I tried from memory stick a Live version of Linux Mint Cinnamon, which is based on Ubuntu. The desktop of this Linux distribution is quite similar to Windows and I found it quite easy to use. So I scrapped Windows. And now I'm a happy Linux user, get updates almost every day installed within minutes, not once a month and lasting up to or more than one hour.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 14 minutes ago, willi2006 said: <snip> Microsoft forced me to move because my Mini-PC isn't compatible with Win 11. <snip> Share Mini-PC details please? I'm considering picking one up and won't if it's gonna be obsolete in 2-3 years.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 Author 11 hours ago, HappyExpat57 said: Share Mini-PC details please? I'm considering picking one up and won't if it's gonna be obsolete in 2-3 years. I have already heard talk about Windows 12 being possibly released in 2026. Maybe try to wait a bit before upgrading hardware. Or look into what the minimum specs for the Windows 12 machines will be to future-proof your PC. Or maybe someone else will know better than me.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 On 10/18/2025 at 10:08 AM, save the frogs said: Well, this guy is advising not to upgrade to Windows 11 for privacy reasons. Part of it has to do with the actual "chip" in the new computers. I did not waste time watching the video. Find the nearest bin and chuck your Windows computer. Buy an Apple computer and never look back. No crashes, it always works It is unix based which is maintained by a company of top engineers with billions in funds not some crap Linux open source crap-e. It has thousand of Apps, it is the tops. I did that twenty years ago and never looked back.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 Author 11 hours ago, JamesPhuket10 said: Buy an Apple computer and never look back. Most creatives use Apple PCs .... Damn they have some sexy monitors ... Expensive stuff, but damn gorgeous.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 3 minutes ago, save the frogs said: Most creatives use Apple PCs .... Damn they have some sexy monitors ... Expensive stuff, but damn gorgeous. They are not just good looking, they are technically superior. Expensive but worth it as they always work. Industry does not use Widows, most large systems are Unix based, as I have seen as a freelance software engineer over a 30+ year period. I use a new small mac mini M4, 2TB, 16GB, 49 inch elongated monitor.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 MS Windows 11 Pro 2024H2 works fine for me! I'll definitely be sticking with it. I did see that Windows 11 Pro 2025H2 may have some of the problems mentioned above, but MS says they're working to fix them.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 On 10/18/2025 at 1:02 PM, JakeC said: If the people on this forum actually follow the advice of people who have an idea of what they are doing, then most of this is not an issue. Firstly, you can apply another year of updates to Windows 10 for free. I uninstalled OneDrive from my PC, so no back up of my settings will take place. Most if not all Telemetry has been blocked. Any Outlook/Microsoft account used contains no identifying info. I don't use my real name anywhere, nor is it contained within the email address/Microsoft account. Secondly when/if upgrading to Windows 11, do it the 'unofficial way' using Rufus. Why? It allows the average user to bypass the privacy risks mentioned in the video. Namely, it removes the requirement for Secure Boot and TPM. It removes the requirement for an online Microsoft account. It helps you to set up a Local account sign-in It Disables data collection by allowing you to skip the questions that might confuse you during OOBE It Disables Bitlocker automatic device encryption. People are often advised to do it this way, but they often prefer to create arguments in favour of allowing Microsoft to do whatever they want. So now you understand why you may be told to use Rufus to install Windows 11. Old bugger (baby boomer variety) question. 'One Drive' bugs me on Win 10 by constantly telling me that either One Drive is Full or nearly full !!. Often when I want to view a file or pics, it seems to take a little while to search the "cloud", find the item and display on my screen. So, can you give me a brief, simple, guide to uninstall it? And, does all the data stored (of mine) on One Drive get lost if it's uninstalled??.or is it still on my computer somewhere? would I have to first transfer/copy it back into a backup folder of my own making on my SSHD? Thanks.... If you can be bothered answering these kindergarten questions 🤓
October 24, 2025Oct 24 On 10/18/2025 at 7:02 AM, JakeC said: If the people on this forum actually follow the advice of people who have an idea of what they are doing, then most of this is not an issue. Firstly, you can apply another year of updates to Windows 10 for free. I uninstalled OneDrive from my PC, so no back up of my settings will take place. Most if not all Telemetry has been blocked. Any Outlook/Microsoft account used contains no identifying info. I don't use my real name anywhere, nor is it contained within the email address/Microsoft account. Secondly when/if upgrading to Windows 11, do it the 'unofficial way' using Rufus. Why? It allows the average user to bypass the privacy risks mentioned in the video. Namely, it removes the requirement for Secure Boot and TPM. It removes the requirement for an online Microsoft account. It helps you to set up a Local account sign-in It Disables data collection by allowing you to skip the questions that might confuse you during OOBE It Disables Bitlocker automatic device encryption. People are often advised to do it this way, but they often prefer to create arguments in favour of allowing Microsoft to do whatever they want. So now you understand why you may be told to use Rufus to install Windows 11. You got it! I've updated 3 very old PCs from Win 10 to Win 11 and they're all working and getting updates. As long as the processor is on the Windows 11 list - it'll work, without TPM, BitLocker etc. No MS account, just local, no OneDrive or OneNote no Office 365, just a local installation of Office 2024. System backed up with Macrium reflect (free) Data backed up with FreeFileSynch (Free) Oh, and although Rufus is indeed a good way to do it, it's not essential. As long as the computer "thinks" it's a Server and you use Windows Pro, it works. I've got 3 lots of proof! 😊 And finally, and without being rude, I really don't agree with the guy in the OP - I watched that video and some of his others - my opinions and experience tell me otherwise.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 2 hours ago, orchidfan said: Old bugger (baby boomer variety) question. 'One Drive' bugs me on Win 10 by constantly telling me that either One Drive is Full or nearly full !!. Often when I want to view a file or pics, it seems to take a little while to search the "cloud", find the item and display on my screen. So, can you give me a brief, simple, guide to uninstall it? And, does all the data stored (of mine) on One Drive get lost if it's uninstalled??.or is it still on my computer somewhere? would I have to first transfer/copy it back into a backup folder of my own making on my SSHD? Thanks.... If you can be bothered answering these kindergarten questions 🤓 Hey mate you ain't old - I'm a "boomer" too - we's just matured is all! 😂 Read my post immediately above and @JakeC post to which I replied. And then: Get yourself an external USB drive (I like Western Digital) Copy everything that you would normally put on OneDrive to it. Unplug it and put it away until you need it. Optionally, sign up for Dropbox - copy whatever you MUST have in the Cloud to it (free account only gets you 2GB but what MUST you have always available to you?) I've got 25GB from promotions over the years. Make a Restore Point (always before you install or uninstall stuff) Uninstall OneDrive, (Use Control Panel > Programs and Features) let it delete everything - you already copied it to the external drive. Job done. 👍
October 24, 2025Oct 24 @VBF I'm not sure that I have understood your post. You are claiming that the CPU has to be on the Windows 11 compatibility list. It does not. Most any PC from 2010 onwards can install Windows 11. Your upgrade went the way it did because you didn't have those things installed in the first place. But if you want to do a clean install, you'll be in line to have those things installed. Hence Rufus as a solution. Though the Windows Server option is a very straightforward way of upgrading a device that has your preferred settings.
October 24, 2025Oct 24 1 hour ago, TopGun10 said: @VBF I'm not sure that I have understood your post. You are claiming that the CPU has to be on the Windows 11 compatibility list. It does not. Most any PC from 2010 onwards can install Windows 11. Your upgrade went the way it did because you didn't have those things installed in the first place. But if you want to do a clean install, you'll be in line to have those things installed. Hence Rufus as a solution. Though the Windows Server option is a very straightforward way of upgrading a device that has your preferred settings. Ahh....you might be right and I might have caused some "FUD" here - in which case Your 1st point: From a AI-driven Google search, I get: "Windows 11 officially supports Intel processors from the 8th generation and newer, including all Intel® Core™ processors of that generation and higher. This includes a wide range of CPUs like the Intel® Core™ i3, i5, i7, and i9 series from the 8th generation and newer" Here is an official ink to the 8th Generation Intel® Core™ i5 Processors https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/ark/products/series/122597/8th-generation-intel-core-i5-processors.html so officially these are the ones that support Win 11 Now, what I can tell you, is that I installed it on one 2013 PC with Intel 4.7GHz Core i5 3570K and on another 2011 laptop PC with Intel core i5-2410M. Both those PCs had started out as Windows 7 systems, upgraded to Windows 10, now Windows 11. Critically, before I did the upgrades, I didn't actually look at the list, I had the computers, and obviously had nothing to lose by trying (I had Macrium images of the System drives if it all went wrong) So, in my earlier post, I did the worst possible thing...I assumed they were on the list! Rule 1 - NEVER make assumptions which is what I tell people all the time!!! 😧 Your 2nd point: Indeed - by definition, an upgrade starts from an existing installation. These were indeed upgrades which is what a lot of people with working Windows 10 installations will want to do and which MS say is impossible because of the hardware limitations. So, if you like, it's a workaround to avoid some restrictions allowing existing computers to be upgraded to Win 11 albeit without some of Win 11's new features. I did say that Rufus was a good way to go - just that with upgrades it's not necessary as you infer. The only clean Windows 11 installation I've done so far is on a brand new (June 2025) PC - clearly no workarounds needed! Your 3rd point: Just to clarify, when the Win 11 upgrade is complete, the PC is not seen as a Server - it has gone from a standard Win 10 Pro computer to a standard Win 11 Pro computer. What, "back in the day" was referred to as a workstation. Note that I do not know what would happen if you started with Win 10 Home. I'm making no more assumptions! By the way, an amusing little aside - back in the Windows NT days , it was discovered that the difference between NT Workstation and NT Server was either $500 or one registry setting! Whether anyone took advantage of that, I couldn't say. 😉 Again, apologies for the confusion / ambiguity in my earlier post. 🙏
October 24, 2025Oct 24 Been using linux for years. With the default keylogging and privacy issues windows these days is essentially malware. They're happy to give it away for free because it benefits them.
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