A New Version of Windows is Coming

It looks like Windows 11 is making TPM 2.0 its hard floor, so even if you have TPM 1.2, that won't be enough. So TPM 2.0 is firm. They're not changing it. Getting that out of the way.

That being said, it looks like they will likely be adding Intel 7th gen processors (i3-7700, for example), and AMD Ryzen 1st gens (Ryzen 5 1600, for example). Honestly, I'm not sure why the requirements are so high (unless it's ALL about TPM 2.0). I have friends who still use AMD FX-6300s for their gaming machines, and some still use dual core processors for theirs, and things run just fine for Windows 10. It has to be either arbitrary in order to sell hardware, or someone got gung-ho with the requirements and put out the recommended specs instead of the required specs. I don't know for sure.

You can check that out here: https://www.xda-developers.com/windows-117th-gen-intel-1st-gen-ryzen-cpus/

Anyhoo, I've been looking around, and I found a few computers that will run Windows 11 for a pretty decent price:

https://www.newegg.com/hp-slim-s01-af1005t-student-home-office/p/N82E16883450530?Description=Pentium Silver J5040&cm_re=Pentium_Silver J5040-_-83-450-530-_-Product
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Hp-Probo...0GB-Windows-10-Pro-Scratch-and-Dent/660724334
https://www.amazon.com/ASUS-Process...DB01/dp/B081V6W99V?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/HP-Slimline-290-p0046-i3-8100-X4-3-6GHz/dp/B08JV76CHC/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=i3 8100&qid=1625106764&rnid=2941120011&s=pc&sr=1-1
https://www.amazon.com/Dell-Inspiron-3670-I3670-3828BLK-PUS-Desktop/dp/B07K8SKCLG/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=i3 8100&qid=1625106764&rnid=2941120011&s=pc&sr=1-8

I know it's not a perfect solution, but it's better than spending $300+ on upgrades alone (unless you can find some refurb stuff on ebay).[/B]

I think it's all about TPM 2.0. I have to admit I don't see how a chip will keep people from downloading malware on their machines so ultimately it might be to encourage purchases of new hardware that come with oem licensed (paid) versions of windows.

Older machines are holding up too well. in 2014 a 7 year old machine was next to worthless. A 7 year old machine today is fine for most people.

If I didn't already buy a tablet (that's probably better than the 2014 machine), I wouldn't be buying a new computer. The EOL for win10 is october 2025. I'd keep the old PC and ensure automatic backups to an external drive or the cloud are happening realtime to allow for its eventual catastrophic failure.

Yep, it's about security and TPM. I just saw this article from David Weston, Microsoft's Security Manager.

Three key passages here:

Source: https://www.techrepublic.com/articl...ystem-requirements-and-the-security-benefits/

TL;DR - For those of y'all whose eyes crossed, like mine do from time to time with this stuff, it means that the newer processors have architecture and security features older processors, especially ones made before 2016, simply don't have, and Windows 11 has to reject them if it wants to be as secure as they're setting it up to be. Technically, your current hardware would run Windows 11 just fine, but in terms of security, your processor is missing a shitload of technology implemented in 2016 for most CPUs.

This is horse shit. I 've got an 8 core, 4ghz processor, 32gig DDR3 memory, and 2 terabyte SSD. There is no goddamn reason I should have to rebuild the fucker again already.

upgrade to win 10 (I think it's possible for free) and run trouble free for 4 more years.

My WinDoze box was purchased in 2015, so almost there.

Yep, there's still a free upgrade path for Windows 10.

Shit, I haven't paid for an OS in 20 years.

ok the MS surface tablet is fucking awesome. Drives 3 monitors, and everything else I can throw at it just fine. Acer is going to the basement storage area...

Oh, I know. The CPUs and GPUs they put in these things are fucking ridiculous.

You can run Windows 11 on a phone!

Somehow I don't think my iPhone would appreciate that.

I dunno.. raw-dogging the internet might be safer at this point... See if you can upgrade to Win 2kPro?

I'm intrigued by the "snap" feature. Sounds like a great feature if I understand correctly. Does that mean you have two tabs locked down at the same time? I don' t have room in my recording booth for a second monitor. Do I have that right?

Here's more:
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/enable-snap-layouts-on-windows-11

But there's always room for more monitors, even if you have to stack them using a mount

Diminishing returns...anyway...I really need to get my recording space out of the closet and into the bigger space, but that's more work than I want to do when I can get decent sound thanks to RX noise reduction.

Speaking of recording, just a sidebar but if you're using Audacity, a number of security sites are now listing it as spyware. It was recently acquired by MuseGroup, and they immediately added privacy notices that go beyond basic telemetry.

Source: https://www.ghacks.net/2021/07/04/a...ontinues-with-newly-published-privacy-notice/

A guy built a professional sound recording booth for $500. Mind you, it could probably be done cheaper if you didn't need some of the elements that his has. He also had to buy all the materials as he didn't have any on hand that he could use.

If I had but known when I started trying to build a good recording space what I know now, I could have done a lot better for a lot less. I'm considering tearing down and starting over and redoing the whole setup since I now have all the hardware I need, along with the right software and a lot more know-how. It would take a few days and even if it's no real improvement the RX software would take up any slack. So....

Has anyone here ever used or played around with Linux Mint?

I’m still using Windows 7. I loathe the idea of upgrading to a newer Windows but I guess I have to at some point?

Mint is terrific. If you’re switching away from Windows and want something that feels familiar, Mint is a great choice if you’re moving away from Windows.

I stuck with Windows 7 until Microsoft ended support.

I imagine I'll do the same with Windows 10.

I tried to run the dev build of Windows 11 on the Insider program. Twice I installed it, and twice it crashed, destroying the boot sector before I could even start it. That's uh, that's not promising.

I've often wondered how new versions of programs get out with obvious bugs that either cause programs not to run properly or cause system crashes. I mean, it seems like even Apple lets stuff come out of Beta tests (supposedly with thousands of people testing the stuff) with obvious problems.

It's the modern model of using your customers as unpaid quality control testers. Game publishers in particular seem to have no shame about it anymore. Knowingly sell something broken, then spend that early adopter money trying to fix it.

Fuck you, Bethesda.

James agrees

Yep. I'm talking to the devs in the support group, and they keep insisting that it means my system isn't compatible, despite it being compatible and my screenshots showing TPM 2.o enabled on my AMD 2600+, which is compatible, the BIOS using secure boot, as required, with 32GB of RAM, more than compatible, and an NVMe SSD, which is very compatible. I swear, getting through to these people is a headache.

I can't help but agree here. I don't blame the developers themselves, it's the shareholders and management that says "push it out whether its buggy or not." Every dev I've ever known takes pride in their work. I don't think any of them would willingly drop a game they knew was subpar.

I managed to get it worked out myself after they deleted my thread saying "we don't do full tech support for Windows 11," so... okay? Anyway, my NVMe SSD doesn't require secure boot because it is a secure boot drive by default. If I disable CSM in my BIOS, which I did, in order to turn secure boot on so Windows 11 will see it and install, I can no longer access my BIOS because my graphics card is incompatible with secure boot. In short, if they don't change how Windows 11 works with NVMe drives on Gigabyte motherboards with that issue (such as mine), then I won't be upgrading to Windows 11 either, despite having a computer with modern components that far surpasses the basic requirements of Windows 11.

This is going to be Windows 8 and Windows Vista again, isn't it?

It's a dev build, not even beta. A pre-release intended for hardware makers and other software shops to work with.

Expect stuff to not work.

The dev build is required just to download it and have it installed via the Windows 10 update queue. Once you install it, you can switch to beta and it will only update with more stable releases. Others have been telling them about the Gigabyte issue, along with the NVMe secure boot issue, I'm not the only one. What they'll do about it, I'm not sure, as Microsoft is only talking to people about TPM 2.0 issues. Gigabyte responded with "we'll get back to you," for one guy, and that was a week ago with no response.

Also two times it was installed and it failed? That's not a dev build, that's a pile of spaghetti code with no form or function, and it would not be in the dev ring for Windows users if that were the case.

It seems that the Vista and Windows 8 fiascos got into general release before the shit hit the fan. If they can get at least some of this shit cleaned up before they go into general release that might be an improvement. Has any Windows release NOT been a clusterfuck?