Windows Wha?

[Xev]

I just accidentally found out that there is already a Windows 11.. and that it will show up in Windows (10) Update pretty soon for (free) download...

https://blogs.windows.com/windowsexperience/2021/08/31/windows-11-available-on-october-5/

I'm probably the last person on earth to know but just in case there is one other person who doesn't know yet - there ya go.

[WanderingAries]

*closes the Beta VM*


Hmm? Yeah, about that...


While they Say they're going to allow us tinkerers some wiggle room, that's only going to work on relatively modern laptops and some prebuilt desktops due to the security based system requirements. :/


Need to have TPM 2.0 and the ability to have Secure Boot. That's not all that hard to design a system around, but it'll mess with how some of us manage our drives as the 3rd party apps essentially bypass the OS to do their tasks in what's usually a pre-boot scenario.


https://www.tomsguide.com/news/how-to-install-windows-11-a-step-by-step-guide

[Xev]

I don't understand the implications to the extent that you do but the system requirements raised a red flag with me too. I'm glad I recently built a new PC that should breeze by.

Now the game is... How soon do I get offered the update. I'm in no hurry at all whatsoever, but, ....

The upgrade will then roll out over time to in-market devices based on intelligence models that consider hardware eligibility, reliability metrics, age of device and other factors that impact the upgrade experience. We expect all eligible devices to be offered the free upgrade to Windows 11 by mid-2022. If you have a Windows 10 PC that’s eligible for the upgrade, Windows Update will let you know when it’s available.

.. makes me curious where I land : ) Closer to Oct. 5 or June of next year.

I'm maybe more curious how long I can get Windows 10 updates until they force me over to 11. I'm in no hurry. If it ain't broke..

Oh, another red flag was that they said I had to get into my Microsoft Account in order to complete the update. I dunno if I can do that. I had to redo passwords a bigillion times when Hotmail got hacked during the Outlook conversion. Windows 10 magically logs me into my Hotmail and I don't want to screw up my ancient Hotmail account.

[WanderingAries]

I'm maybe more curious how long I can get Windows 10 updates until they force me over to 11. I'm in no hurry. If it ain't broke..

Windows 10 will be supported through no later than end of 2025 I believe. It's actually posted online along with the other retired OSes. I doubt they'll extend an OS beyond that like they did for XP/7 (best of the ones they every did TBH).

Oh, another red flag was that they said I had to get into my Microsoft Account in order to complete the update. I dunno if I can do that. I had to redo passwords a bigillion times when Hotmail got hacked during the Outlook conversion. Windows 10 magically logs me into my Hotmail and I don't want to screw up my ancient Hotmail account.

Your hotmail should automatically get you signed into the current Outlook system without a need to change anything. All the links should redirect. You Do have to be signed into a MSFT account on the device for them to tie the digital license to your account (I think that's how it works off hand). If you haven't already, then get into your MSFT account and activate all the MFA/Authenticator options to keep that from happening again. TBH, Between the various authenticators and the built-in Edge browser password manager, I'm doing just fine as my device security will always allow me to check what a password is.


The OS itself is pretty snappy though and seems to be compatible with Almost everything I've thrown at it. I'm a little miffed about them gimping the taskbar and don't get me started on the "gadget" feature as it's basically just another place that they can throw what should have stayed in the Edge browser's New Tab page. I got excited at first about the Gadgets, but then I realized it had Nothing to do with all my lovely hardware monitors (which I Still use, even with the hack on Win10). The colors are a little different and the Settings UI is more like what we use on mobile devices. Tremendously more logical in nature and streamlined. They probably gutted the Control Panel even more because of that, but I know for a fact that they're Trying to retire that altogether.


I haven't done Proper testing of the game on it, but it will install and let me into Atlas just fine. My initial testing was on the M1 iMini via Parallels, but that went badly as the ARM's x64 drivers never worked, so the game only played in x86 mode. That didn't Really matter as I can use the HC Launcher via Rosetta 2 natively anyway. It installed/launched just fine on my i7 3770k Hacked install of Win11 though.

[Xev]

Your hotmail should automatically get you signed into the current Outlook system without a need to change anything. All the links should redirect. You Do have to be signed into a MSFT account on the device for them to tie the digital license to your account (I think that's how it works off hand). If you haven't already, then get into your MSFT account and activate all the MFA/Authenticator options to keep that from happening again. TBH, Between the various authenticators and the built-in Edge browser password manager, I'm doing just fine as my device security will always allow me to check what a password is.

Well, yes... I'm logged into a Microsoft account in Windows 10 and it appears to be connecting via my Hotmail account, which, also automatically gets logged into when I load Windows so I can check and send mail in Windows 10.

Allllll that stuff is automatic. That's what worries me. I have 10 mile long passwords for Hotmail and my Microsoft account and I had to change them so many times (MS account just once I think) during the Outlook crossover hacks that I'm not sure I have the current ones.

So now I'm afraid to touch either account! That's the thing. It wouldn't be a big deal but the e-mail account is kinda old and nostalgia-ey. It's still a wonder to me I didn't already lose that account.

Windows 10 will be supported through no later than end of 2025 I believe.

11 should be nicely tested and patched by then. Sounds like a good update date to me. Ha. I don't really do anything exciting on PCs anymore. Pretty much just happy when all works well. I dunno. I like Windows 10 Dark Mode. Goes good with Chrome dark mode. And I like my Start bar just like it has been since Vista. I don't mind if most of the bugs get worked out of 11 and the improvements begin before switching either. So yeah, no rush.

I haven't done Proper testing of the game on it, but it will install and let me into Atlas just fine.

I should get around to finally doing this on any Windows. 

[Xev]

Windows 10 will be supported through no later than end of 2025 I believe. It's actually posted online along with the other retired OSes. I doubt they'll extend an OS beyond that like they did for XP/7 (best of the ones they every did TBH).

Well that ends up being good info due to my 2 year old gaming PC doesn't pass the Windows 11 requirements test and I have no plans whatsoever to upgrade it.

Need to have TPM 2.0 and the ability to have Secure Boot.

And, my AMD Ryzen cpu didn't make the processor list.

Whatever....

Windows is just a shell program. It's there so I can insert my disk and things run. Or however we do it nowadays. Since when are the requirements higher for the shell than the games I run under it. Pfft.

[Xev]

https://www.stacksocial.com/sales/microsoft-windows-11-pro

I dunno this place but it's all over Google right now for selling Windows dirt cheap (compared to what I'm used to!).

$40 and you get a license to put Windows 11 on 3 PCs/devices...

Windows Wha???

I plan to build 1-2 new vroom vroom's after the next Cyber Monday sales and spending $40 for 2 new Windows 11 Pro licenses sure sounds a lot better than spending $400... I sent them a mail today asking if I for sure will get a copy for 2(3) PC's with no OS on them.. Just sounds too good. I read they have 15% off on the first order from them, too.. (clicked away the window advertising it when I first logged on. You have to sign up for their mailing list I think.)

I do believe that this version is transferrable to a new PC, too. So like when I go to build next time I can turn Windows off on my old PC and turn it on on the new one.

Stay Tuned!

[Xev]

OK, so, sure enough... I can install Windows 11 Pro on 3 PCs/devices that have no operating system for $40!

It's about time Microsoft did something like this.. I mean, man.. I bought a gaming tablet with Android that keeps up with my gaming PC for $450ish bucks.. On PC it's $200 just to get WINDOWS. I'm like, Windows is dead...

$40 to get new Windows on 1-3 new PCs I can live with though..

It should be mentioned I had fast and friendly and helpful response from stacksocial.com in e-mails. I had to get them to confirm the above info - seemed too good to be true.

[WanderingAries]

Now granted, I've done it Once for a family friend that needed an OS, but there's a couple things to know.


Firstly, unless you Want to customize some things (and one or two things I forget about), then you really don't Have to register the OS. It's also possible that you might be able to simply activate (and bind) a Win10 key to a new Win11 install. IDK if that's still going on or not, but I did it for my one rig and I'm pretty sure I've not paid for it in a VM, but I also may not have bothered to activate that since it's just testing.


Secondly, about those 'cheap' licenses. That's a bit of a tricky thing as some of these places you can get them are safe, some are not, but AFAIK, the way they're going about the licensing is still sketchy. I've read so many things about how some of these places are getting licenses via recycling (taking the OEM key from a dead PC and reselling it / probably not legal), some are abusing volume licensing (meaning that at some point it may not work again after say a reinstall), and then there's the straight key hacks. The last one can be in the form of a scammer getting into your computer, stealing all the keys and selling them. Often this is done during one of those calls people get 'from Microsoft'. If you ask Reddit, most don't care because it's cheap and the more legit places will apparently just replace a code that won't initially activate, but that makes me wonder if They're using a key generator TBH.

[Xev]

Dang notifications, I missed this post too!

Well, the way I found this place selling the cheap Windows 11 licenses was by googling for Windows 11 prices. Then this place, StackSocial, lit up like a pinball machine all over my search pointing out this deal.

I sent them mail to get verification, too! We went back and forth in e-mail until I got them to clearly verify that this was Windows 11 for a new PC and with 3 licenses. They were quick to respond and didn't mind putting things in writing.

StackSocial also seems to have mostly positive reviews (4.73/5 stars on the BBB website for example) and has been around for awhile (12 years?). I also found positive articles from known sources such as this: https://www.cnet.com/deals/save-172-on-a-windows-11-pro-license-before-this-deal-runs-out/

So I checked things out before posting! Didn't order yet, though. Hopefully I'll get around to it before time runs out..

[Vee]

I've bought VPN lifetime licenses on a couple of occasions from StackSocial with no problem and my Win11 Pro license from Kinguin with no problem

[Xev]

Good info!

Things kinda fell apart with getting new PCs last year so I didn't bother getting Windows but I'll check these guys first when I go looking again. I'll for sure thoroughly check out any similar offers from other companies after getting edumicated on the naughty sellers out there.

I hate spending so much on Windows! I mean, that's money I can put into building a better computer. More vroom!