[barryd]

I shouldnt worry Ray. If your computer is more than four years old chances are it wont run anyway

https://www.digitaltrends.com/computing/windows-11-vs-windows-10/

Remember when Microsoft said W10 would be their last OS?

To be honest, it doesnt sound like a big deal.

Seems you cant install it without a Microsoft account either. Quelle Surprise.

 

[barryd]

Thanks Baz. You know my PC is only one year old as with your advice I bought it. Lenovo M720q.

I am kinda concerned I will lose the use some old software I have got used to.
i.e. a 15 year old Casio camera dock, Windows photo viewer, Picasa, etc.

Ray.

"with my advice" eh? Consultancy services! Did I send you an invoice?

There is a full list of whats required and whats removed here https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/windows-11-specifications

Actually I think it said microsoft account required for Windows home. Doesnt mention Pro so thats the same as 10 then. There was always a work around when setting up a Windows 10 home PC without a microsoft account. Just disconnect it from the internet when setting it up and it will fail and allow you to create an account without a microsoft account so maybe its still the same with 11.

Didnt see Windows photo viewer or Picasa on the list I dont think of stuff thats gone but your 15 year old camera Dock will always be a bit of a gamble. W10 somehow if anything though became more backward compatible as it developed. I believe support for 10 will be until 2025 so dont worry about it. We will all probably be dead or Zombies by then anyway.

 

[barryd]

I think you were going to send an invoice but you said you couldn't beat their price.
Yep, I have come to rely and like my Photo Viewer and Picasa. The 15 year old dock couldn't be recognised by Win 7 & 8 but popped up again on 10. So I don't want to loose it again.

As far as I can see Win 11 is just different colours and rounder shapes. No improvements then.

Ray.

Stupid Boy! The invoice is for the "consultancy" advice!! Nobody ever made any money selling computers! Its advising numpties like you where the money is. Dont say I never give you nowt for free then!

I think the main feature of W11 is probably the increased security which takes advantage of later hardware and firmware using TPM 2.0 which is why older machines cant have it. Supposedly better performance and of course no doubt MS will have engineered it so it ties you ever further into them.

 

[barryd]

Yep. I think they need to be Intel 8th generation or later. Not sure about AMD processor but thats basically anything younger than four years or newer.

 

[barryd]

W10 will be supported until 2025 so if your current machine wont upgrade to 11 it must be four years old or more already. If you are still hanging on in 2025 to an eight your old or older machine, its time for an upgrade anyway!

I dont think i have ever had a laptop survive much more than three years.

 

[barryd]

We are from a generation that appreciated the cost of things and tend to treasure them more, you never see older people with phones in their back pocket for instance, I tend to look at the price of things in shops and think it would cost an hour and a halfs wages to buy that and level it where it is more often than not, we turn lights off and shut doors, don't heat rooms no one uses, put a jumper on rather than turn up the heating, too soft young people these days.

I wish I'd listened to what my grandad used to say.

:lol:

 

[barryd]

Nah! Im still 19 me. Ill never grow old.

 

[barryd]

I have upgraded the PC and the laptop with SSD drives plus a lot more memory in both and as I said they will both do me for now as I use the smart phone for anything requiring security......that is of course if the Zionists haven't decided to keep an eye on me.

Yes that is a great way to extend the life of an old PC or Laptop. I did the same for Mrs D's Dell Latitude 13" but I still got her a new one for Christmas and we keep the old one as a spare but its still really fast and built like a tank. The main issue is battery life. You can keep buying batteries but they never last long. Same goes for old phones I think,

 

[barryd]

Don't know if anyone else has this problem and if so have they found a solution.

I do an online quiz using Chrome and often the answers are drag and drop from answer panel to question panel. Before the W11 upgrade never a problem but now when I try to click to pick up an answer instead of picking it up it simply acts as though I want to cut /copy i.e. turns the words blue, drag and drop still works for just about everything else..
I've tried all the "fixes" I can find on internet, which virtually all refer to drag and drop of files to taskbar etc. also turned off all extensions etc.

Another unrelated thing I've found, when trying to see content of Windows Defender, I now get the message "you need an app for this" click here and then I get no app found?

Any ideas?

Sounds like a fair few are having the same issue. There is a ticked solution a few posts down here.

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com...th-windows-defender-on-windows-11/m-p/2621453

A few others online also but I have no idea if any of them are any good so use with caution.

Ive not upgraded anything to 11 yet and the a couple of users that did upgrade from the clients I still look after I rolled them back to W10.

Ive always waited as long as possible after MS roll out a new OS although I dont think this is as major a change as 7 to 10 was. There are always bugs. Generally takes a couple of years to iron them out!

 

[barryd]

At the moment yes. But Microsoft has already said 'support' for Win 10 will end in a couple of years. Not sure when.
I have two Thinkcentre PCs and both are able to have Win 11 on for free but I'm hesitating and waiting for more user comments.

Ray.

Officially support will end October 2025 although some specialised versions of 10 will remain supported until 2029 (at a cost presumably like they did with 7).

 

[barryd]

It should ask you if you want to do it but of course it can be done by accident if your not careful. It's easy to roll back though as long as you do it within two weeks I think. As far as I've looked there is no tool to block it like there was with 7 to 10.

 

[barryd]

What do yo think of this>

I know about the Group Policy editor fix but its a right carry on. Wouldnt dream of suggesting it to anyone who wasnt tech savvy and I think its only available in 10 Pro or Enterprise versions so if you have Windows 10 Home it wont work without third party software (I dont think). This is maybe why there has been no tool produced to prevent it like last time.

Just dont download it until all the bugs are ironed out and if you do just roll it back.

 

[barryd]

I assume we have plenty of time to avail ourselves to the 'free' offer to upgrade. I'm happy not to rush in and wait at least a year if possible.
Computer Active has been more than positive but then I wonder if there is a commercial pressure to favour it.?

Ray.

Ive heard it might only be free until October but that might just be for W10 Home users. However its probably rubbish. Im still upgrading Windows 7 machines to 10 for free and legally years after they said it was no longer free but these are always "Pro" versions of 7.

 

[barryd]

I'm now thinking again of upgrading the spare PC to Win 11.
But I'm a little concerned about being able to reinstall the Windows Photo Viewer and my ageing Office 2007 on it.
I know I can 'roll back' but then thats just a waste of time. Any ideas guys n Galls.?
And no I'm not going the '365' route.

Ray.

Have you done the test to see if W11 will go on it Ray? Good luck with office 2007!!

Actually it might work but it poses security risks. Better with one of the freebie offices if you don't want to pay for 365.

Windows 11 is a right pia to bypass creating a Microsoft account also but it might be ok on an upgrade. Pc needs to be less that about four years old though I think.

 

[barryd]

Yes Baz both my Lenovo ThinkCentre M720q's get the OK message from Microsoft.
I have been hesitating up to now but as the second hand PC is really only used as storage and downloading sat nav maps when the new one is busy, I was thinking of giving it a try.

Ray.

Just go for it then. Nothing to lose.

 

[barryd]

Thanks Baz, that just what I wanted. Someone to blame..............

Ray.

Yeah but your forgetting I will just laugh when it all goes tits up. 😂

 

[barryd]

As above. VLC is still the best video and media player and its free and safe. VLC: Official site - Free multimedia solutions for all OS! - VideoLAN

Make it your default player and you wont have any issues playing all sorts of media.

 

[barryd]

Are you sure it's not there? Right click on an image and go to properties to see what programs you can open it with.

 

[barryd]

Im going to get a new laptop when I get home. So ill probably go for W11 Pro. Just not sure what laptop to go for. Fancy something different but I bet I end up with another Thinkpad if for no other reason their keyboards are the best and you know how I like to go on a bit.

 

[barryd]

Nothing wrong with Windows PCs, especially these days. Most of the problems are caused by end users and all the crap they put on them which is a lot easier to do than on other platforms like Apple.

My ThinkPad has been faultless really. It's just getting long in the tooth now. It will be coming up six years I reckon so long overdue for a change.