Question So, Win 11 ....

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Reading threads makes me think I knew all along I never wanted it.

Make me want it. Don't just tell me I gotta have it to do stuff.

Most of the programs I live my life with are old and I don't know if they'll work on it. New versions are not feasible.

Things like Media Player .... is there a version in W11? Will MP from Win 7 work?

I've read up on the account thing.

I don't game or do heavy graphics. I don't know coding and most of the terms being used on the other threads are a foreign language to me.

I futz around on the web, make notes, do emails and bank/financial stuff. Quicken is essential and 2013 is the last version that doesn't require a subscription, so that is a major factor.

Libre Office is essential

I have a couple of door access control programs that are a must. Basically self contained with their own databases.

Audacity is a must.

I have a bunch of outdoor cameras that I need to use a PC to program initially and occasionally change settings.

I'm a creatures of habit and I hate change. I really don't want to do this and have held off for this long because of it. Still using Win7 Home Premium.

What is the difference between 11 Home and 11 Pro? Will Pro cause me any other problems?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Networking with my existing Home Group to move files?

 

[tcsenter]

Windows Media Player legacy is still available and working in W11 (24H2). You might have to install it from MS Store or optional features but it there.

 

[Jimminy]

Reading threads makes me think I knew all along I never wanted it.

Make me want it. Don't just tell me I gotta have it to do stuff.

Most of the programs I live my life with are old and I don't know if they'll work on it. New versions are not feasible.

Things like Media Player .... is there a version in W11? Will MP from Win 7 work?

I've read up on the account thing.

I don't game or do heavy graphics. I don't know coding and most of the terms being used on the other threads are a foreign language to me.

I futz around on the web, make notes, do emails and bank/financial stuff. Quicken is essential and 2013 is the last version that doesn't require a subscription, so that is a major factor.

Libre Office is essential

I have a couple of door access control programs that are a must. Basically self contained with their own databases.

Audacity is a must.

I have a bunch of outdoor cameras that I need to use a PC to program initially and occasionally change settings.

I'm a creatures of habit and I hate change. I really don't want to do this and have held off for this long because of it. Still using Win7 Home Premium.

What is the difference between 11 Home and 11 Pro? Will Pro cause me any other problems?

Haven't you heard the gospel ... Linux is the ultimate solution. It solves all problems and is so simple to use, and just works with *everything*

But seriously, win 11 is pretty much the same as win 10 underneath the hood. It does have a lot of added intrusive microsoft rubbish, advertising, and childish "helpful" stuff.

If you do install it, just take some time to go through all the settings and turn off things that are pure rubbish. And please make a disk image backup (at least once a week. Macrium free version is good enough). This way, if something bad happens, you can revert to a sane state and not have to re-do all your settings again.

Most of the offensive blatant microsoft crap can be turned off.

If you were using my computer, you wouldn't notice much difference than windows 10, but it did take a while to get it all straightened out.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I've never used 10, so I have no idea what that looks like. I just want whatever to look like 7. Or XP.

 

[Greenman]

Networking with my existing Home Group to move files?

Home group is gone in win10 I don't think they brought it back in 11. I've been assured that networking works with 10, but I've never been able to crack the code. Gone through the step by step instructions several times with no luck.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Make it look like 7?

How to Make Windows 11 Look Like Windows 7: A Step-by-Step Guide - Live2Tech

Transform your Windows 11 into a Windows 7 look-alike! Follow our step-by-step guide to bring back the classic interface you love with ease.

www.live2tech.com

 

[Shmee]

i believe if you don't want to sign in with a MS account, you will want to get the Pro version, as that is easier to setup with a local account. Last I checked it may even be impossible with Windows 11 Home.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I'm getting Pro.

At least that's what the listing claims.


.

 

[tcsenter]

i believe if you don't want to sign in with a MS account, you will want to get the Pro version, as that is easier to setup with a local account. Last I checked it may even be impossible with Windows 11 Home.

It is possible, just do not connect to the network/internet during installation. When asked to connect, look for 'I don't have internet' textual link. Assuming you have created USB install media using Rufus with 'do not require MS account for setup' or whatever checked.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Reading up on Win 11

Seems 'pre-installed' is a thing and also pre-activated, which means no printed key is included.

No problem for day to day use, but the comments mention issues when calling for support or if a drive fails and you need to reinstall on a new drive (presumingly not restoring a backup).

There is no way to read the key? No where in the registry? I recall some tools to extract the key on earlier WinXXXX versions.

 

[tcsenter]

If you have an OEM prebuilt (motherboard) that shipped with Windows 10 or 11 key embedded in the BIOS, you can get the product key thusly from Powershell:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService | Select OA3xOriginalProductKey

But for aftermarket 'retail' mobo, you'll need to supply a key. If you will be upgrading from activated Windows 10, Windows 11 is free upgrade so you won't need to input a new product key. One thing I don't know is if you can just perform a clean install of Windows 11 using a valid Window 10 product key?

I know that once you have successfully upgraded 10 to 11, with successful activation, you could then wipe it out and CLEAN install Windows 11 if you wanted. Everything is retained on MS activation servers. During SETUP you select the edition but skip providing a product key. After Windows 11 is installed, if there is internet connection, it will automatically activate again. Though I'm sure there is some limit to the number of times you could activate it over some given period, I don't know what it is and have never encountered it even after installing or reinstalling 10 or 11 on the same hardware a few times in a relatively short period e.g. ~1 week.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

So, now I have to dig into what Powershell is and how to use it ....

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

Pity you have to hagglefark around in the Reg Editor to make a simple thing like TaskManager available like it used to be.

How to enable right-click to open Task Manager in Windows 11 'Moment 1' update

Microsoft says the latest Windows 11 update has the option to open Task Manager by right-clicking the taskbar. For some reason, this change is off by default, but you can enable it with this guide.

www.neowin.net

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

If you have an OEM prebuilt (motherboard) that shipped with Windows 10 or 11 key embedded in the BIOS, you can get the product key thusly from Powershell:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService | Select OA3xOriginalProductKey

But for aftermarket 'retail' mobo, you'll need to supply a key. If you will be upgrading from activated Windows 10, Windows 11 is free upgrade so you won't need to input a new product key. One thing I don't know is if you can just perform a clean install of Windows 11 using a valid Window 10 product key?

I know that once you have successfully upgraded 10 to 11, with successful activation, you could then wipe it out and CLEAN install Windows 11 if you wanted. Everything is retained on MS activation servers. During SETUP you select the edition but skip providing a product key. After Windows 11 is installed, if there is internet connection, it will automatically activate again. Though I'm sure there is some limit to the number of times you could activate it over some given period, I don't know what it is and have never encountered it even after installing or reinstalling 10 or 11 on the same hardware a few times in a relatively short period e.g. ~1 week.

Found a place that says this works:

​

Type or paste this command at the prompt and press the Enter key:

wmic path softwareLicensingService get OA3xOriginalProductKey

The command reveals your original Windows 11 product key on the command prompt screen.​

Box should be here later today, so I'll get to try it ... maybe.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

^^^ Doesn't work. Oh well.

Powershell doesn't seem to work either.


I have an older device that I can only log in to in IE 11. None of the other browsers work, including Edge.

I can't seem to find a version of IE 11 to load on Win 11.

Ideas?

 

[tcsenter]

Did you open Command Prompt or Powershell with administrator rights? i.e. 'run as administrator'

 

[tcsenter]

???

You can try enabling Internet Explorer "Mode" within Edge. Reportedly this gets reset every 30 days courtesy of Big Brother not wanting you to have an insecure browser (of it's own making) on the system forever unattended.

If that doesn't work, there is a more moddy way that involves editing the registry and creating new modded shortcuts.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

^^ No workie.


I use Resource Monitor almost constantly to watch for problems. I've caught a few that way when I see the CPU usage spiked. Worked fine in 7

In 11, it's spike at 100% all the time; blue line pegged to the top which you might not be able to see in the screenshot.. But just the chart, not in the list beside it. And not in Task Manager, which shows under 20%.

Is this something that can be corrected?

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

On the key thing, MagicJellyBean found it. And THEN after all that, I find there is a tool available for free in the M$ Store that pulls it easily.

 

[tcsenter]

Search the key on Google. If you get hits, it is some generic OEM installation key, not the key embedded in your BIOS.

I am not sure what is going on with the blue line or what it represents. Looks cosmetic reporting issue to me the actual CPU utilization is the green jaggy line.

 

[tcsenter]

I am not sure what is going on with the blue line or what it represents. Looks cosmetic reporting issue to me the actual CPU utilization is the green jaggy line.

I found out. The blue line represents the maximum processor state available, as configured in advanced Power Options. It means maximum available processor frequency (state) is not being limited in firmware or software.

 

[WelshBloke]

If you have an OEM prebuilt (motherboard) that shipped with Windows 10 or 11 key embedded in the BIOS, you can get the product key thusly from Powershell:

Get-CimInstance -ClassName SoftwareLicensingService | Select OA3xOriginalProductKey

But for aftermarket 'retail' mobo, you'll need to supply a key. If you will be upgrading from activated Windows 10, Windows 11 is free upgrade so you won't need to input a new product key. One thing I don't know is if you can just perform a clean install of Windows 11 using a valid Window 10 product key?

I know that once you have successfully upgraded 10 to 11, with successful activation, you could then wipe it out and CLEAN install Windows 11 if you wanted. Everything is retained on MS activation servers. During SETUP you select the edition but skip providing a product key. After Windows 11 is installed, if there is internet connection, it will automatically activate again. Though I'm sure there is some limit to the number of times you could activate it over some given period, I don't know what it is and have never encountered it even after installing or reinstalling 10 or 11 on the same hardware a few times in a relatively short period e.g. ~1 week.

I bought a retail copy of windows 7 and this install of win11 I'm using now is using the same "key". I must have installed the OS dozens of times and had to phone up support once to get the activation counter reset once (and that was a long time ago). I just install and it automagically activates.

 

[Lost_in_the_HTTP]

I found out. The blue line represents the maximum processor state available, as configured in advanced Power Options. It means maximum available processor frequency (state) is not being limited in firmware or software.

Yeah, OK, so I set max to 50 and min to 40. Blue line dropped. Now will I have problems? Do I need to set it back up? Is there a way to let it go by demand? Can I set it lower?

Interesting side note ... CPU temp in Speccy dropped from around 50 to just over 40

 

[tcsenter]

Why did you select those min/max states?