Windows 11

[JKnightandKARR]

Okay, so I've decided to update the main PC (Former Gaming / Video Editing PC) to Windows 11. There's no getting around it until I finally make the break from a few applications that only run on Windows.

The Dell PC (Development PC) will be converted to Linux. I'll be refamiliarizing myself with Linux using my Raspberry Pi computer.

As for my laptop; I'm undecided. It will not support Windows 11, but I don't know if I want to put Linux on it. I mean, what choice do I really have?

I have a Dell gaming laptop that also will NOT support Win 11, so will have to figure out when it comes what todo.

[Chris Savage]

I have a Dell gaming laptop that also will NOT support Win 11, so will have to figure out when it comes what todo.

The main thing I used my laptop for was music...as in, composing music. When I sold my musical keyboard a few years ago, I started just using it at work for personal stuff, backing up my music and movie collections, etc.

The problem is that, about 6 months ago my wife bought me a new keyboard. She missed me playing. I hadn't quite gotten it set up since the house still needs some work. But once the house is done I had planned to start playing again. This was one of the motivations for giving up PC gaming. My music software is Windows only. So you can see my conundrum. I have a lot of music backed up in the Windows software I was using. I have Cakewalk Sonar and Magix Music Maker. Both are Windows only. It really sucks to be tied to an O/S like this.

[Chris Savage]

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Or NOT let you upgrade from the previous version of Windows that came with your PC?!?

[JKnightandKARR]

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Or NOT let you upgrade from the previous version of Windows that came with your PC?!?

It would be nice.

[granz]

Hack-A-Day just published this article about Windows Virtualization The Hard(ware) Way (https://hackaday.com/2025/08/21/linux-fu-windows-virtualization-the-hardware-way.) I don't know if it would work in your specific usage case, but it may be worth looking into this.

[Chris Savage]

Hack-A-Day just published this article about Windows Virtualization The Hard(ware) Way I don't know if it would work in your specific usage case, but it may be worth looking into this.

You just reminded me that, when I worked at Parallax I had VMWare on my main PC and had several versions of Windows and Linux installed to test Parallax software compatibility and for tech support reasons. I think I mentioned somewhere on here that I did install DOS Box on that i3 here at work and was able to run, "Music Base 2" from my DOS applications page. I had forgotten how colorful my old applications were. 

[granz]

And, yet another Windows 11 article in H-a-D: https://hackaday.com/2025/09/18/think-you-need-a-new-pc-for-windows-11-think-again/

[Sean] from Action Retro does a bit of surgery on Windows 11 to make it work on a twenty year old Sun work station. I did not see exactly what he cut out, but the article that H-a-D points out may give you enough to do your own surgery. Although, at some point you need to realize that Microsoft is trying to kill you. 

[Chris Savage]

I've been watching many of the channels (YouTube) that describe the various things you can do to install Windows 11 on machines that currently run Windows 10, but some have mentioned what I have also seen from M$, which is that if your PC is not considered compatible and you use a hack / workaround to install it, there's no guarantee it will work in the future after patches / updates. I can't depend on that kind of uncertainty, so I have resigned myself to simply move those PCs to Linux.

My main PC can be upgraded, and although I hate Windows 11, I will make the change for the software that requires  it. For the other PCs I will simply use Linux and try to find more open-source / cross-platform apps to do some things.

For those that read my message and wonder why I use the word, "hate", it's because M$ has made so many changes that you can't undo without hacks, and some that you're simply stuck with. Many of their improvements have bugs that I doubt they will ever fix. I know about these bugs because we use Windows 11 at work.

One of my most used apps is notepad. Notepad on Windows 11 has been upgraded (broken) to support multiple tabs and reload your previous documents. When I open notepad, I don't want it opening everything I previously worked on! Half the time those documents no longer exist or are on media not currently connected. I will open it and get like 6 tabs that now have to close.

I often use M$ paint for two purposes. One is to resize images, often to post on here. When I use the Windows 10 version it works perfect! But at work when I do the exact same thing, I have to click out of and back into the size value window to change it, even though it's already highlighted!!! And it's not consistent! It may work randomly and not work randomly. I can't count on just being able to tab into the dimensions and type.

At home when I want to do complex file operations I use the context menu. I right-click on most everything, since that gives you all the options for what you're doing. On Windows 11 they've moved all the stuff I use into a sub menu, and you have to right-click, then select "Show more options". Just plain annoying.

The bottom line is that I am a power user and Windows 11 is intended for noobs, NOT power users.

[MicroNut]

I agree Chris! I have installed a suite of programs from Star Dock as "hacks" to Windows 11.  I also use Directory Opus as a replacement to the Windows Explorer. I positively hate the start menu. It only shows Microsoft products in the pinned section and most of them aren't even installed on my computer! I use a replacement start menu called Start 11 where I can customize it to my heart's content. I've also hacked the content menu to remove the "Show other options" and list everything. I'm sure a future update will undo this. I've also heard some rumors about Windows 12 is going to be a subscription service. If this comes to be I'll become a Linux only user. It's bad enough that my wife gets the Office subscription. I tried to get her to switch to Libre Office but M$ Office is what she uses at work and is comfortable with.

[granz]

My main PC can be upgraded, and although I hate Windows 11, I will make the change for the software that requires  it. For the other PCs I will simply use Linux and try to find more open-source / cross-platform apps to do some things.

You may want to look into running Windows 11 inside VirtualBox on a Linux system - that is what I have.
https://blogs.oracle.com/virtualization/post/install-microsoft-windows-11-on-virtualbox

For those that read my message and wonder why I use the word, "hate", it's because M$ has made so many changes that you can't undo without hacks, and some that you're simply stuck with. Many of their improvements have bugs that I doubt they will ever fix. I know about these bugs because we use Windows 11 at work.

No wondering at all. I fully understand, and agree.

I often use M$ paint for two purposes. One is to resize images, often to post on here. When I use the Windows 10 version it works perfect! But at work when I do the exact same thing, I have to click out of and back into the size value window to change it, even though it's already highlighted!!! And it's not consistent! It may work randomly and not work randomly. I can't count on just being able to tab into the dimensions and type.

Look into KolourPaint (https://apps.kde.org/kolourpaint/.) That is like MSPaint on steroids. I use that very often, and it does everything that Paint did, plus much more.

The bottom line is that I am a power user and Windows 11 is intended for noobs, NOT power users.

Likewise.

[Chris Savage]

Granz, I know you're trying to help (with regards to Windows 11) and I appreciate it. It's the principle of the thing. I should be able to run my OS without having to wall it off behind a VM. I should be able to get updates without it breaking things. And I should be able to use the apps that I have always used without them now being buggy and useless.

I kick myself for letting myself become dependent on Windows to run software. Even when I was focused on Parallax products, the only software available for the longest time was Windows only. The few cross platform apps that were later developed were third party and some are no longer supported. I think as I moved forward I will stick with things that are cross platform.

So for now I only need to get by for a few years until I find some Linux software that does what I need to do.

[granz]

Granz, I know you're trying to help (with regards to Windows 11) and I appreciate it. It's the principle of the thing. I should be able to run my OS without having to wall it off behind a VM. I should be able to get updates without it breaking things. And I should be able to use the apps that I have always used without them now being buggy and useless.

I fully understand, and agree. Part of what drove me away from Microsoft was, first of all, starting with the infamous "you're all a bunch of thieves" letter (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Open_Letter_to_Hobbyists, and then going to their (ironic) outright theft of many different programs (I.E. https://grantster.com/2012/06/07/the-stacker-conspiracy/.) Finally, with the introduction of Windows XP, they started "illegally" tracking user's info, including notifying Microsoft of every DVD movie that the user played on their computer. Each subsequent version of Windows had more, and more, "phone home" routines. Microsoft firmly believes that they, and they alone, know what the computer should be doing. The user, no matter how much they know nor how long they have been using computers, is TOO FRICKEN STUPID to know what they want. It up to "Mommy Microsoft" to tell them what they want, and how to do it.[/rant]

So, yes I hate Microsoft (and by extension Windows - at least beyond Win 9X) also. Windows should work properly without causing the most confusion/stress possible to the user.

[Chris Savage]

One thing I noticed just in the last few days is that, up until then, every few days I would boot Windows 10 PCs at home / work, I was reminded that Windows 10 support is ending and that they were going to help me find a new PC. Your only options were, "Let's get started" or "Remind me later". No way to STOP the full screen take-over, right when I am in the middle of something.

NOW, it says that, while Windows 10 support is ending, I can "Enroll now" to get extended support, which I assume means I have to pay for it. I know for a fact, based on previous versions of Windows, that if not for these PCs being declared not compatible with Windows 11, they would have force upgraded me by now! That's how I ended up with Windows 8 when it came out. I kept saying NO and uninstalling the KB update that caused it, but one day it didn't ask. It just ran while I wasn't in front of the PC. I was PISSED!!!

[granz]

I may have mentioned this story before, but...

Several years ago, our church was doing outreach movies for the community. Our pastor had hooked his Windows computer up to a projector, and was playing the DVD under Windows. In the middle of the movie, Windows started an update, and it could not be stopped, paused or delayed. Windows stopped the movie and started the updates (estimated time was well past the time for our outreach.)

Thankfully, I had my Linux-based laptop, and was able to take the DVD from Pastor's computer, load it into mine, plug in the projector and continue the movie for the community.

[Chris Savage]

Thankfully, I had my Linux-based laptop, and was able to take the DVD from Pastor's computer, load it into mine, plug in the projector and continue the movie for the community.

Sounds like a sign. I think the Father prefers Linux for reliability.