Solved Best business desktop?

unifex said:

I am not sure what is it that you're doubting . That I will return a laptop that cannot be setup without internet? Don't doubt, that a "you can take that to the bank" kind of fact.

Click to expand...

Hi,
I'm doubting home is something tied to the hardware setup as you suggested

Manufacture gets kickbacks to use home it's not like home costs a lot more than pro to them

You can get 10-11 pro for pennies on the dollar is the funny part.

Bree said:

That is no longer true, not if it's Windows 11 Home. The initial OoBE will not let you get past the 'Let's connect you....' step until you have connected. Only 11 Pro retains the 'Continue with limited setup' option.

Click to expand...

Thanks for that reminder that Windows 11 Pro allows you to continue with limited set up. And yes you can't install without being connected to the internet (as I found when it didn't recognise my wifi). He is installing Windows 10 which is easier in that respect. So maybe that's an easy way to install 11 with a local account? Install 10 first then upgrade.

Speaking of which - I have a pro licence for the laptop I put Windows 11 on - but can't activate the pro licence till after it's installed! Which wouldn't allow me the "continue with limited setup" option. Suggests Microsoft want people to buy a full version of 11 Pro rather than an upgrade (if they don't want a microsoft account).

Hazel123 said:

I have a pro licence for the laptop I put Windows 11 on - but can't activate the pro licence till after it's installed!

Click to expand...

Workaround to bypass Home requiring a connection, from Brink's tutorial, Step 16.

If installing a Windows 11 Home edition and you currently do not have an Internet connection available, press the Shift + F10 keys to open a command prompt. Copy and paste the taskkill /F /IM oobenetworkconnectionflow.exe command into the command prompt, and press Enter. Close the command prompt, and continue at step 21D to set up a local account.

UPDATE:
I finally got my Windows 10 Pro computer set up.
I decided to unplug the Router before I turned on the tower and it worked fine all the way. When finished, I plugged in the Router.
I remembered a few graphics I had seen done when I was google searching, which was also mentioned here what to do. So that helped a lot! THANK YOU ALL!
I am VERY sad to find I can not plug in my speakers for sound and my woofer which I LOVE! I thought all computers came with ports.
This is a first. Talk about crummy! I am on my Acer now cause I did not want all my stuff on the new one till I do some thinking.
Who in the heck wants to use head phones? Now I can not hear the Youtubes.
I forgot to try my portable Samsung drive on it. Better not say I have to reformat it with all my savings I have on it. If so, it goes back for sure.

marne said:

I am VERY sad to find I can not plug in my speakers for sound and my woofer which I LOVE! I thought all computers came with ports.

Click to expand...

What speakers and (sub?)woofer do you use?

The ones that came with my Gateway Windows XP Pro desktop in 2004. They work (hookup) with the Acer windows 7, I am using now, bought in 2015 which has 3 audio ports on the back which I plug the cord that separates into 2 ends for my 2 speakers/woofer..
It has beautiful sound.

Are these the 3.5mm audio jacks?if so then you may need an audio card. the audio out these days is often limited ( due to the fact that Bluetooth has taken over the role of the older hardwired system).

I have several PCIe cards [that are simple to fit into a spare slot], in my Spares bin that would drive 5.1 audio via 3.5mm Jacks but I no longer use them as my current system has digital outputs (SPDif ) that are optical replacements for the Jacks and will handle full 7.1

an example card for just driving the jacks is


Obviously many options are available for all forms of auto including external USB- Audio outputs


If your issue concerns another port type then most if not all the audio ports used in older are available via adaptors

The other advantage of a new card or external adaptor is that they will have the correct Windows 11 drivers available

True but I found that with my motherboard the 10 drivers work just fine with 11,. But in the end it comes down to a case by case deal.

barman58 said:

Are these the 3.5mm audio jacks?if so then you may need an audio card. the audio out these days is often limited ( due to the fact that Bluetooth has taken over the role of the older hardwired system).
Obviously many options are available for all forms of auto including external USB- Audio outputs

Amazon.co.uk : usb external audio 5.1

Click to expand...

Oh barman, If the USB type would solve the problem, I'd be forever grateful to you! I will have to look into this further.
No way could I install anything inside the tower. I was lucky enough to be able to get it running without screwing something up in the process.
BLESS you if I can get that solved in some way via plug and play. THANK you! I was looking for MORE to you!

EDIT: OK, I looked at the Specs sheet I taped onto the Windows XP tower and it says, Intel High Definition Audio.
GMAX 2100 2.1 Speakers with Subwoofer.
Here they are. Gateway G-max 2100 2.1 Speaker Solution With Subwoofer for sale online | eBay

On the listing I provided you should look at the external unit with the same number or more than the number of 3.5mm Jack plugs your speaker system has - the colours are normally standard world wide. Also some speaker systems will require less ports than the one's I showed as they use a single plug for left and right speakers and the same for rear left and right and the subwoofer and centre speaker.

If you need more help with this if you could post a link to you speaker set or an image of the connections that would help

I recommend this one:

barman58 said:

On the listing I provided you should look at the external unit with the same number or more than the number of 3.5mm Jack plugs your speaker system has - the colours are normally standard world wide. Also some speaker systems will require less ports than the one's I showed as they use a single plug for left and right speakers and the same for rear left and right and the subwoofer and centre speaker.

If you need more help with this if you could post a link to you speaker set or an image of the connections that would help

Click to expand...

The speakers in the photo are RCA and not 3.5mm. marne could use an RCA to 3.5mm stereo adapter.

@marne , this is all you need. Plug the adapter into the headphone jack then plug the speakers into the adapter. https://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-LEMENG-2-Pack-Adapter-Splitter/dp/B018V7GTNK/ref=sr_1_4?adgrpid=1342504300679195&hvadid=83906731249542&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=93203&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83906908733228:loc-190&hydadcr=17977_13444561&keywords=rca+to+3.5mm+adapter&qid=1638571619&sr=8-4

Without a definition of "best", the question is basically meaningless.

It is like asking "What is the best business car"?

Winuser said:

The speakers in the photo are RCA and not 3.5mm. marne could use an RCA to 3.5mm stereo adapter.

Click to expand...

Winuser said:

@marne , this is all you need. Plug the adapter into the headphone jack then plug the speakers into the adapter. https://www.amazon.com/CERRXIAN-LEMENG-2-Pack-Adapter-Splitter/dp/B018V7GTNK/ref=sr_1_4?adgrpid=1342504300679195&hvadid=83906731249542&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=93203&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvtargid=kwd-83906908733228:loc-190&hydadcr=17977_13444561&keywords=rca+to+3.5mm+adapter&qid=1638571619&sr=8-4

Click to expand...

Wrong. It hooks up to the PC via one 3.5mm TRRS (not to be confused with TRS) jack named "Audio In":



The RCA connectors are used to hook the Left + Right speakers ("L" and "R") up to the Woofer unit:



The topmost cable in the pic above ("Control In") is used to hook the Woofer unit up to the Control unit:

The difference between TRS and TRRS explained:

1 = Line output (green)
14 = Universal Audio Jack, can be used either as a headphone output or as a microphone input

If you do not need/want to use the headphone output or microphone input on the Control unit of the Gateway speaker package, then all you need is a "normal" stereo (i.e., TRS, not TRRS) 3.5mm jack male-to-male cable to hook the Line output on the back of the PC up to the "Audio In" on the speaker package (see the "Audio In" that is shown in first pic I posted previously), and then you will still be able to use the Universal Audio Jack on the front of the PC for connecting a headphone or microphone (i.e., directly, instead of through the Control unit).

As it turns out, I was wrong too. Oops!