Windows 11

[navychop]

Sigh. More ungood W11 news. I had MicroCenter do some work on my PC a couple years ago. Told them to make sure it was ready for W11. Didn’t find out until months later that they did not set it up for W11. I figured the heck with it, no reason to go W11.

Now that option is closing.

Of course, being retired I still use Office 2007….

 

[TheKrell]

Of course, being retired I still use Office 2007

Good for you! Unless that version had ribbons...

 

[TheForce]

Sigh. More ungood W11 news. I had MicroCenter do some work on my PC a couple years ago. Told them to make sure it was ready for W11. Didn’t find out until months later that they did not set it up for W11. I figured the heck with it, no reason to go W11.

Now that option is closing.

Of course, being retired I still use Office 2007….

I don't like those maintenance services. In the 70's I supported the chemical company to buy a computer to do accounting, order entry and billing. As I was responsible for the plant operation, I didn't get involved with the business office. They never did get that system to work. The morons who sold it didn't know how to get it set up either so finally the boss sent it back. Later when I moved to FL and had my own branch I bought a PC and wrote a complete chemical plant system including batch sheets QC records, order entry, invoicing. and and B/L. It took me a year in my spare time to write and debug it. Wrote it in GW Basic. The only language I was formally educated in as a chemical engineering student. Two of my scuba students wanted to see my program, they were both college computer / accounting majors. They laughed at some of my code and tidied it up a bit. I actually paid them for their improvements.

Speaking of tech support service company, I got an email today for a bill for $349 from the Geek Squad for repairing and servicing my computer for the past year. The invoice gave me 30 days to pay. Who the hell is the Geek Squad? The name sounds familiar but I never would use a service like that. I've never been where I couldn't do my own installs and troubleshoot.

Office 365 is a subscription service and it seemed like a bargain so I stopped paying the high price for the upgrades and switched to them. I also subscribe to Adobe Premier Pro and while that video editing was a POS when it first came out. I think, today its the most robust PC based software available. I still pay $21 a month which seems high but nothing else can edit VR360 3D and allow you to edit with Oculus HMD in a virtual edit studio. Very cool! It does require a very powerful computer to run it to that level.

Apple Editor, Final Cut is a POS but I haven't looked at it in years. I was hired as an editor by a client who insisted I do his project in Final Cut so I had to learn it and went to the Apple store and signed up for a class. Their instructor was so ignorant on editing protocol I ended up teaching him. I wanted my money back but Apple store refused. So I edited his project in Edius and then converted the file to Final Cut Pro to satisfy the client. He didn't know the difference. He ended up buying my Macbook with Final cut on it so I got my money back at the end of the project.

 

[FTA4PA]

Speaking of tech support service company, I got an email today for a bill for $349 from the Geek Squad for repairing and servicing my computer for the past year. The invoice gave me 30 days to pay. Who the hell is the Geek Squad? The name sounds familiar but I never would use a service like that. I've never been where I couldn't do my own installs and troubleshoot.

Geek Squad is part of Best Buy. If you don't have a purchase from Best Buy that you bought a service contract for then it is almost certainly a scam.

 

[HipKat]

I got a warning email from Microsoft to upgrade to W 11 because they said they will be shutting down win 10 in 2 years. So I decided to review this thread to see what sort of nightmare I will experience. Here's what I discovered:
1. My daily robust computer works fine for my internet stiff, Office 365, and Photoshop CS2 work. I also do my day trading. No complaints but the i7-950 with 24GB ram and SSD drive for C: as well as a second C: SSD for windows 7 is not supported.
2. I have a second desktop with for video editing that supports VR360 editing with Oculus Rift as well as 3D video and it is extremely fast for real time editing. That box set me back $12,000 so fortunately it will not be obsolete by Microsoft, as long as the software on it will work.
3. My Surface Pro is 2 years old and it is also compatible.

So when that day comes, I guess #1 will need to be replaced. In the meantime, I see no point in upgrading any of my machines until stuff doesn't work on #1.

Not sure if I will buy a complete system or build one custom. I built #1 and #2 since nobody had a package like I needed.

Anyway, hoping to read about all your experiences with the transition.

Scott- when I read you had 100 computers that may need upgrading, I was thinking, I wonder if he'll talk his boss into going with iMAC's. I'm glad I set one up for my wife because she rarely calls me in to fix something anymore. Maybe once a year she'll lose a file and I have to find it for her. But Apple stuff just works as long as your needs aren't too specialized. She uses Office 365 and Safari. So iMAC just works and never fails. And I'm not even an Apple fanboy.

Win 11 > Win 10
People who don't have Win 11 act like it's some whole new unexplored universe. The FEW GUI differences aside, it's just better. In every way

 

[HipKat]

My primary upgrade criterion is usually what the current version of my tax software (HR Block) requires. Sometimes I drag my feet for a while and just assemble a temporary machine to do my taxes.

Owing to the nature of modern Windows applications (both commercial and shareware) with their burning desire to employ a subscription model, I may be even more interested in hanging back in the future.

Much of my productive work happens on Linux using FOSS but it is handy to have a Windows machine around to do things that Linux doesn't readily support. Having a Mac as a backup line of defense doesn't make nearly as much sense as the software availability isn't much improved and the interface options (both hardware and UI) aren't particularly "with it".

I'm with you, 99% of my time is on Linux with FOSS that works great but I do need Windows occasionally

 

[TheForce]

Win 11 > Win 10
People who don't have Win 11 act like it's some whole new unexplored universe. The FEW GUI differences aside, it's just better. In every way

I would agree for most non-pro level use. But while getting used to a new GUI differences should take just a day, what I worry about are the bugs that show up in the less common programs. Now I expect Adobe to be spot on as well as Office 365. However some lessor known tools I use might become troublesome. Like camera apps and file conversion tools.
When MS stopped supporting Cardfile, 16 bit software, I lost that tool and there was nothing else to replace it. I had years of card files that all of a sudden would not load. Several years later some programmer wrote a nice low cost app to run on 64 bit OS and I bought it. Took me several weeks to manually enter all those cards he even made some nice improvements in the package which I really like.
So, I don't respect those who believe that just because their use was trouble free that everybody should have the same experience.

 

[TheForce]

Geek Squad is part of Best Buy. If you don't have a purchase from Best Buy that you bought a service contract for then it is almost certainly a scam.

That's where I saw that name. Thanks. I rarely go in Best Buy but was there for Christmas shopping for my Grandson who wanted a PS4 game. They didn't have it. Found it at GameStop. Guy there was real nice. I'll go back there.

 

[navychop]

I have never known Geek Squad employees to be competent.

I was pushed to give them a try. So I set up a problematic PC and let them have at it. They failed.

 

[navychop]

Win 11 > Win 10
People who don't have Win 11 act like it's some whole new unexplored universe. The FEW GUI differences aside, it's just better. In every way

Now I know who to go to if I have any problems!

I’ve learned that W11 does not support Office 2007 or 2003. But there may be an upgrade path to Office 2021.

 

[harshness]

Didn’t find out until months later that they did not set it up for W11.

It may just be a matter of turning on TPM 2.0 in the system setup (something I've turned off in hopes that it will prevent Windows 11 from installing).

 

[TheForce]

I’ve learned that W11 does not support Office 2007 or 2003. But there may be an upgrade path to Office 2021.

How much is that? I subscribed a couple years ago to Office 365 for $6.99 a month. I can load it on 5 computers including her iMAC. I have it on one ipad too. Never goes out of date. I used to buy the software but that, back then, cost way more and I only needed Excel word and Outlook. My wife also needed Power Point. My price never went up. Knock on wood!

 

[TheForce]

It may just be a matter of turning on TPM 2.0 in the system setup (something I've turned off in hopes that it will prevent Windows 11 from installing).

I believe it is in the Device Manager. right click on it and under the driver tab to deactivate it or activate, or uninstall. If it isn't listed under security devices then the computer is not compatible, right?

 

[harshness]

Of course, being retired I still use Office 2007….

If you're still using Office 2007, you may be a perfect candidate for LibreOffice depending on how "hardwired" you are to Microsoft Office and which elements you use (there is no LibreOffice equivalent of Outluck).

Newer versions of Microsoft Office use an entirely different interface scheme and may be best approached by a deal on the Home and Student suite ($149 MSRP).

 

[harshness]

I believe it is in the Device Manager.

No. TPM 2.0 is a "BIOS" (mainboard) setting. The associated device shows up in Device Manager only if it is enabled.

 

[navychop]

It may just be a matter of turning on TPM 2.0 in the system setup (something I've turned off in hopes that it will prevent Windows 11 from installing).

Agreed.

And yes, I know there are two things in bios to adjust. DK remember other one.

But it will be months before I can deal with this.

Honeydew list.

 

[HipKat]

I would agree for most non-pro level use. But while getting used to a new GUI differences should take just a day, what I worry about are the bugs that show up in the less common programs. Now I expect Adobe to be spot on as well as Office 365. However some lessor known tools I use might become troublesome. Like camera apps and file conversion tools.
When MS stopped supporting Cardfile, 16 bit software, I lost that tool and there was nothing else to replace it. I had years of card files that all of a sudden would not load. Several years later some programmer wrote a nice low cost app to run on 64 bit OS and I bought it. Took me several weeks to manually enter all those cards he even made some nice improvements in the package which I really like.
So, I don't respect those who believe that just because their use was trouble free that everybody should have the same experience.

YMMV and you can do a search to see if there are any reported issues but Win 11 has been out long enough to have covered most of them

 

[HipKat]

Now I know who to go to if I have any problems!

I’ve learned that W11 does not support Office 2007 or 2003. But there may be an upgrade path to Office 2021.

I use Libre Office for everything office related. Office was better, the last version I used but Libre does all I need it to do

 

[HipKat]

I believe it is in the Device Manager. right click on it and under the driver tab to deactivate it or activate, or uninstall. If it isn't listed under security devices then the computer is not compatible, right?

TPM is in the Bios

 

[Foxbat]

Also, SecureBoot needs to be enabled, I believe.

Mashable had a 24-hour sale on single-use Office 2021 Home for $50, but that long expired. Through work, we are eligible for a $70/yr. subscription for the whole Office Suite on up to 5 devices. I’m not sure what happens after I retire…

We are now imaging Windows 11 clients at work. I found two immediate problems with the Win 11 Task Bar: I always use smaller icons (not an option in Settings) and the System Announcements cannot “Show All”. We have a half-dozen Corporate background apps that load and I find it handy to see things like Virus Detect status, Outlook New Mail, Teams status, etc., at a glance without clicking on the carat to expand the System Announcement tray. That’s a deal breaker for me.

Yes, there are supposed to be Registry hacks to restore the Win 10 taskbar behavior, but this is just one more way that reinforces my decision to use macOS at home and avoid these aggravations at work. I guess I’m retiring just in time…