Building new system - want to END UP with Windows 11


GracieAllen

Well-known member
Local time
2:03 PM
Posts
97
OS
Windows 11 Pro
I searched for a topic that covers what I’m doing, but didn’t realize there was a Windows 11 forum. The folks over at tenforums sent me here...

I’m about to build a new desktop system with a 12th Gen Intel CPU. Based on the most demanding things I do (image processing and maybe some video), it’s recommended that I use Windows 11 because:

“Windows 11 includes features that work closely with the Intel Thread Scheduler, which may be necessary to get the full performance possible from the 12th Gen Intel CPUs”
“In particular, in Photoshop we saw about a 28% improvement in performance when using Windows 11 rather than Windows 10.”
“It is a good idea to plan on using Windows 11 for the 12th Gen processors. Even outside of the performance, the optimizations to Thread Director should give you an overall better experience - at least, according to Intel.”

The current system is Windows 10 Pro. I’m pretty sure, back in 2014 it started as Windows 7 Pro, got upgraded to 8, 8.1 and finally Windows 10 Pro. I’ve got the activation code for Windows 10, which I think is an upgrade code. I’m sure it has accumulated a LOT of garbage over the years it’s been on the system. I'll probably be able to drop the SSD with the current Windows 10 system in and boot it if that's useful, but I'm planning to put the O/S on a new 1TB NVME drive.

IS there a “free” Windows 11 ISO, OR do I have to install a version of Windows 10 (I have the 21H2 ISO), THEN upgrade to Windows 11? I’d PREFER to put Windows 11 on directly, but don’t want to be paying $140 or $200 to do it (depending on whether or not I have to use 11 Pro).

I know they’ve stripped out the virtualization and sandbox from Windows 11 Home, but does the home version have the Thread Scheduler and other <whatever things> are providing the improved performance and “experience” spoken of above?

I have information encrypted on flash drives for safe keeping. With Windows 11 Home will I still be able to do at LEAST this, or have they completely stripped out ANY ability to use Bitlocker unless I install the “Pro” version of 11? And if so, is there a free or cost-effective equivalent of Bitlocker?

It doesn’t LOOK like most of the other stuff in Windows 11 Pro is useful to me, though I definitely WANT a local account, NOT a Microsoft one. Other than the local account and ability to use Bitlocker on flash drives is there ANYTHING else in the Pro version I’d need or want for doing the stuff (Office, image processing, normal daily browsing, email, etc.) I normally do?
 
Windows Build/Version
Windows 10 Pro with 21H2, 19044.1415

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
11 Home as a local account

I haven't tried any of those. I use an MS account, but try to use the maximum privacy settings in Windows (that don't require hacks).

As regards your other question, 11 Home vs Pro Not sure what you'd miss, other than Bitlocker. The Group Policy Editor (unavailable in Home) is useful, but rarely for me.

If you're feeling lucky, you could try a cheap source for 11. Example: Guru3D This isn't a piracy site, but they frequently have links to low priced copies of Windows. I have no idea about the legitimacy of them. I did once buy a $40US key, and it worked. Not in use at the moment.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Amd Threadripper 7970X
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte TRX50 Aero D
    Memory
    128GB (4 X 32) Kingston DDR5 5200 (RDIMM)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 4090 OC
    Sound Card
    none (USB to speakers), Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 27E1N8900 OLED
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @ 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Crucial T700 2TB M.2 NVME SSD
    WD 4TB Blue SATA SSD
    Seagate 18TB IronWolf Pro
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1600 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo XL
    Cooling
    Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360, with 3 Phanteks T30 fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 (wired)
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
    Internet Speed
    1200 Mbps
  • Operating System
    windows 11 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel I9-13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus RoG Strix Z690-E
    Memory
    64GB G.Skill DDR5-6000
    Graphics card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 3090 ti
    Sound Card
    built in Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus PA329C
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB
    8 TB Seagate Ironwolf
    4TB Seagate Ironwolf
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1300 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 (wired)
With regards to a local account. Yes, you can do that with Windows 11.
In fact, even for people wanting a Microsoft account, I always recommend installing Windows with a local account first, then switching afterwards.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Stigg's Build
    CPU
    Intel Core i9-10900X
    Motherboard
    GIGABYTE X299X DESIGNARE 10G
    Memory
    Corsair 64 GB (4 x 16 GB) CMW64GX4M4C3000C15 Vengeance RGB Pro 3000Mhz DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1660 Super Mini ITX 6 GB OC
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC1220
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung 27" FHD LED FreeSync Gaming Monitor (LS27F350FHEXXY)
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 970 Pro Series 1TB M.2 2280 NVMe SSD
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    Western Digital Red Pro WD8003FFBX-68B9AN0 8 TB, 7200 RPM, SATA-III
    PSU
    Corsair HX1200 1200W 80 Plus Platinum
    Case
    Fractal Design Define 7 Black Solid Case
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15 Chromax Black
    Keyboard
    Razer Ornata V2
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    Logitech BRIO 4k Ultra HD USB-C Webcam
  • Operating System
    Windows 10 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    ASUS ROG Zephyrus M GM501GS
    CPU
    Core i7-8750H
    Motherboard
    Zephyrus M GM501GS
    Memory
    SK Hynix 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) HMA82GS6CJR8N-VK 16 GB DDR4-2666 DDR4 SDRAM
    Graphics card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC294
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AU Optronics B156HAN07.1 [15.6" LCD]
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung MZVKW512HMJP-00000 512 GB, PCI-E 3.0 x4
    Samsung SSD 860 QVO 4TB 4 TB, SATA-III
    PSU
    N/A
    Case
    N/A
    Cooling
    N/A
    Mouse
    Razer DeathAdder Essential
    Keyboard
    PC/AT Enhanced PS2 Keyboard (101/102-Key)
    Internet Speed
    FTTN 100Mbps / 40Mbps
    Browser
    Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    N/A
    Other Info
    USB2.0 HD UVC Webcam
Last edited:

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Win 11 Pro 23H2 22631.3374
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i7-12700F
    Motherboard
    ASUS TUF GAMING Z690-PLUS WIFI
    Memory
    G.SKILL Ripjaws S5 Series 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC Black Gaming
    Sound Card
    RealTek HD 7.1
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ASUS TUF Gaming 27" 2K HDR Gaming
    Screen Resolution
    2560 x 1440
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Pro 1TB NVMe (Win 11)
    SK hynix P41 500GB NVMe (Win 10)
    SK hynix P41 2TB NVMe (x3)
    Crucial P3 Plus 4TB
    PSU
    Corsair RM850x Shift
    Case
    Antec Dark Phantom DP502 FLUX
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-U12A chromax.black + 7 Phantek T-30's
    Keyboard
    Logitech MK 320
    Mouse
    Razer Basilisk V3
    Internet Speed
    350Mbs
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Winows Security
    Other Info
    Windows 10 22H2 19045.4170
    On System One
  • Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 23H2 22631.3374
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Built
    CPU
    Intel Core i7-11700F
    Motherboard
    Asus TUF Gaming Z590 Plus WiFi
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA RTX 2060 KO Ultra Gaming
    Sound Card
    SoundBlaster X-Fi Titanium
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Samsung F27T350
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 980 Pro 1TB
    Samsung 970 EVO Plus 2TB
    Samsung 870 EVO 500GB SSD
    PSU
    Corsair HX750
    Case
    Cougar MX330-G Window
    Cooling
    Hyper 212 EVO
    Internet Speed
    350Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Security
After upgrade to Windows 11, you will have Pro version basing on your current Windows 10 Pro, and it will be activated automatically if you haven't changed anything in hardware config and Windows 10 was activated with a digital license. I'd suggest not to change any hardware until successful upgrade. Also after fist successful launch of Windows 11 I highly suggest to create a reference system backup.

After that, you can install new SSD. If you want to have this SSD as bootable OS drive, the good option would be a system transfer using one of backup tools like Macrium Reflect (backup, then restore on new drive or clone). But after such hardware upgrade, your activation may be lost depending on number of previous hardware changes since first activation; in this case you might have to re-activate OS by phone.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro; Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-12700K (Alder Lake)
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME Z690-M Plus D4
    Memory
    16 GB (2x8 Corsair DDR4-2132)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GeForce 1050 Ti, 4 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 235PQ
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Windows 11: Samsung SSD 870 EVO, 500 GB (SATA), MBR
    Windows 8.1: Samsung SSD 980 PRO, 500 GB (M.2), MBR
    PSU
    Platimax D.F. 1050 W (80 Plus Platinum)
    Internet Speed
    Local link 1 Gbps, provider's line 500 Mbps
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Other Info
    Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller (for Windows 8.1 compatibility)
    Microsoft Office H&S 2013 x64
Thanks for the replies…

Presuming I end up with 11 Home (which may or may not be since I’m going from 10 Pro)

In some of the topics I’ve read, they indicated that in 11 Home you CAN fiddle and get it to create a local account. So, I figure I can do that.

And it’s not a HUGE deal to lose Bitlocker, but there’s still stuff I’d prefer to have encrypted since it’s plain text backups of password manager contents. Anybody have a recommendation for a free or cheap alternative to Bitlocker if I end up needing one?

Windows 11 ISO is now downloading as I type! That’s one of the pieces I wasn’t finding when I rummaged around.

After upgrade to Windows 11, you will have Pro version basing on your current Windows 10 Pro, and it will be activated automatically if you haven't changed anything in hardware config and Windows 10 was activated with a digital license. I'd suggest not to change any hardware until successful upgrade. Also after fist successful launch of Windows 11 I highly suggest to create a reference system backup.

After that, you can install new SSD. If you want to have this SSD as bootable OS drive, the good option would be a system transfer using one of backup tools like Macrium Reflect (backup, then restore on new drive or clone). But after such hardware upgrade, your activation may be lost depending on number of previous hardware changes since first activation; in this case you might have to re-activate OS by phone.
Now I’m confused… I’ll have a new system with new hardware. Are saying I should NOT install Windows 11 directly, but instead install Windows 10 then upgrade to Windows 11? My current system will not upgrade to Windows 11, and even if it would, I’m hoping to get rid of all the junk accumulated over the last several years, so something is going to be a new installation.

One of my concerns is the problem of activation. I've had to go through this stupidity before with Microsoft, so whatever I put on here, and however I wind up at Windows 11, I need it to be smart enough to activate without the normal Microsoft nightmare... If that means I put Windows 10 Pro on first, then do an upgrade, I can do that. If I can use the ISO I'm downloading to install it directly and activate it, that's even better, but I'm not sure how that would work...
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
It would be easy to install the W10 pro 64, get it settled and activated and then download an ISO of W11 pro directly from Microsoft. The motherboard BIOS would have the correct version of TPM built in, which might need switching on, there is no need to buy a TPM module and secure boot can be enabled. ACHI should be enabled in BIOS and nvME if you use an M2 SSD. It helps to have a Microsoft account, which is easy and free to set up.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    W11 pro beta
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    home built
    CPU
    Athlon 3000G
    Motherboard
    Asrock A320M-HDV r4.0
    Memory
    16Gb Crucial DDR4 2400
    Graphics Card(s)
    onboard cpu
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560-1440
    Hard Drives
    WD black SN750 M2 500Gb
    PSU
    500W Seasonic core 80+gold non modular
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R2
    Cooling
    front 2 x 120mm rear 100mm stock psu
    Internet Speed
    135/20
    Browser
    Firefox and edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security and free Malwarebytes
  • Operating System
    W11 pro 64 beta (from W10 pro system builder pack)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5700G
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 tomahawk max II
    Memory
    4 x 8Gb Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000 DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    onboard cpu
    Sound Card
    motherboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 21.5" IPS
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1Tb Black M2 SN850X on Asus hyper M2 X16 max V2 card
    PSU
    Be Quiet 400 semi modular 80+gold
    Case
    Coolermaster Silencio 650
    Cooling
    140mm front, 120 rear Akasa Vegas Chroma AM
    Internet Speed
    135/20
    Browser
    edge/Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD plus Malwarebytes free
That was my thinking... A little more involved, but maybe a lot less painful than trying to get Windows 11 activated.

I'm going to try the laptop as a guinea pig. It also has Windows 10 Pro, but it's new so it'll run Windows 11. I'm doing the creation process to make a USB drive. I'll do a full backup of the system so if the thing is a nightmare I can just roll everything from the current O/S back onto the system.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
(snip)

One of my concerns is the problem of activation. I've had to go through this stupidity before with Microsoft, so whatever I put on here, and however I wind up at Windows 11, I need it to be smart enough to activate without the normal Microsoft nightmare... If that means I put Windows 10 Pro on first, then do an upgrade, I can do that. If I can use the ISO I'm downloading to install it directly and activate it, that's even better, but I'm not sure how that would work...

If you have a suitable Windows 10 license, you can clean install 11 and use the key to activate it.

I admit that I'm not clear on what licenses are suitable. Maybe this thread would be helpful: older OS licenses and 11
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Amd Threadripper 7970X
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte TRX50 Aero D
    Memory
    128GB (4 X 32) Kingston DDR5 5200 (RDIMM)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 4090 OC
    Sound Card
    none (USB to speakers), Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 27E1N8900 OLED
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @ 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Crucial T700 2TB M.2 NVME SSD
    WD 4TB Blue SATA SSD
    Seagate 18TB IronWolf Pro
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1600 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo XL
    Cooling
    Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360, with 3 Phanteks T30 fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 (wired)
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
    Internet Speed
    1200 Mbps
  • Operating System
    windows 11 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel I9-13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus RoG Strix Z690-E
    Memory
    64GB G.Skill DDR5-6000
    Graphics card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 3090 ti
    Sound Card
    built in Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus PA329C
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB
    8 TB Seagate Ironwolf
    4TB Seagate Ironwolf
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1300 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 (wired)
I installed it on the laptop... I haven't crapped it up nearly as much as the desktop (haven't had enough time yet), though it IS HEAVILY crapped up with Dell junk...

Anyhow, Windows 11, took a long time, but eventually it installed Windows 11 Pro - ON THE LAPTOP (I have NO idea what it'll do with the new desktop)....

At first glance..... Its quite different in the user interface, and it LOOKS even less productive than Windows 10.

Somewhere vaguely I remember going from Windows 7, which was less productive than XP (by productive I mean the junk stayed out of the way and gave me the fastest possible way for adults to grab what they needed to do actual work), but I managed. Then, there was an update to something horrid - maybe Windows 8, with something Metro, and other desktop something... It was the most unproductive, time-wasting setup I'd ever seen. Fortunately, 8 went away and was replaced by 8.1 in about a week, and again - not perfect, but survivable.

Then came Windows 10. The built-in start is pretty wretched - alphabetical, no grouping of functionally related programs, generally good if you're 12, but not great if you're actually trying to get work done. But, you could put stuff in tiles, and everything important got put on the desktop. So, the ONLY time I ever needed the Windows Start was when I couldn't do it from the taskbar or the desktop.

So far, from my very limited experience, Windows 11 sets a NEW bar for unproductive... WHY take away the ability to invoke the task manager with a simple right click on the task bar?

And this kludge that replaced the tiles? How is this a productivity improvement over the one in Windows 10? Instead of a square tile, I now have little icons, and it HELPS me - right there in front I have Xbox, Spotify, Disney+, To Do, ClipChamp, Prime Video, TikTok and Instagram.

I"m gonna have to do a lot of fiddling, and I suspect I'm going to wind up going back to Classic Shell... But, it's on, and we'll see!
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
OK, tell the truth... Microsoft is pranking us, right? There's NO WAY they'd dumb down the taskbar this much. And throw away the context menu that makes it quick and easy to get the Task Manager and change the size of the taskbar icons. There's no WAY they'd come up with something dumber, less useful, and more painful to deal with than those tiles. There's no WAY they'd force you to find some minuscule spot buried in the invisible corner at the bottom right of the screen to switch to the desktop..... Can someone tell me HOW to put an icon on the taskbar so I can jump to the desktop WITHOUT having to go on a scavenger hunt for the magical corner spot?

They're gonna turn all the stuff they've made stupider back on, right? 'Cause it's not really all that funny...

So far I've spent most of last evening on one system (Windows 10) searching for ways to make the laptop (Windows 11 Pro) at least SOMEWHAT more productive, 'cause when I read all the stuff about how much MS took away in terms of configurability and convenience, I thought they were kidding... but this is way worse than getting used to Window 10 was.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
When I bought my laptop, a Lenovo, I got it settled down for a few weeks and then used Mini Tool Partition Wizard to make a clone of the HDD with a USB3 portable HDD. This was double backup just in case. I had a 500Gb SSD which was fitted to the laptop and I did a clean install with an ISO of W10 home 64 which worked perfectly. No more junk in the system, and when that was fully updated and settled, I used the USB drive to make a clone of that as backup. The original drive from the laptop eventually got fitted into another portable case and used for other backups.
That laptop is only a sixth gen i3, but it has secure boot and TPM as well as DDR4, but it can stay with W10 as I don't use it much, just enough to keep the battery in good condition.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    W11 pro beta
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    home built
    CPU
    Athlon 3000G
    Motherboard
    Asrock A320M-HDV r4.0
    Memory
    16Gb Crucial DDR4 2400
    Graphics Card(s)
    onboard cpu
    Sound Card
    onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    AOC 27
    Screen Resolution
    2560-1440
    Hard Drives
    WD black SN750 M2 500Gb
    PSU
    500W Seasonic core 80+gold non modular
    Case
    Fractal Design Define R2
    Cooling
    front 2 x 120mm rear 100mm stock psu
    Internet Speed
    135/20
    Browser
    Firefox and edge
    Antivirus
    Windows Security and free Malwarebytes
  • Operating System
    W11 pro 64 beta (from W10 pro system builder pack)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 5700G
    Motherboard
    MSI B450 tomahawk max II
    Memory
    4 x 8Gb Corsair Vengeance LPX 3000 DDR4
    Graphics card(s)
    onboard cpu
    Sound Card
    motherboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 21.5" IPS
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    WD 1Tb Black M2 SN850X on Asus hyper M2 X16 max V2 card
    PSU
    Be Quiet 400 semi modular 80+gold
    Case
    Coolermaster Silencio 650
    Cooling
    140mm front, 120 rear Akasa Vegas Chroma AM
    Internet Speed
    135/20
    Browser
    edge/Firefox
    Antivirus
    WD plus Malwarebytes free
OK, tell the truth... Microsoft is pranking us, right? There's NO WAY they'd dumb down the taskbar this much. And throw away the context menu that makes it quick and easy to get the Task Manager and change the size of the taskbar icons. There's no WAY they'd come up with something dumber, less useful, and more painful to deal with than those tiles. There's no WAY they'd force you to find some minuscule spot buried in the invisible corner at the bottom right of the screen to switch to the desktop..... Can someone tell me HOW to put an icon on the taskbar so I can jump to the desktop WITHOUT having to go on a scavenger hunt for the magical corner spot?

They're gonna turn all the stuff they've made stupider back on, right? 'Cause it's not really all that funny...

So far I've spent most of last evening on one system (Windows 10) searching for ways to make the laptop (Windows 11 Pro) at least SOMEWHAT more productive, 'cause when I read all the stuff about how much MS took away in terms of configurability and convenience, I thought they were kidding... but this is way worse than getting used to Window 10 was.
You don't have to use 11, 10 will receive full support until Oct 2025.

But to answer your question, you can go to the start menu and set each app to the task bar just as you can in 10.

Untitled-1.jpg
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home(Beta) - 23H2 - 22635.3350
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Banana Junior 5600- G Series
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 5 5600G
    Motherboard
    Asus ROG Strix B550-F
    Memory
    G.SKILL Ripjaws V Series 64GB 4x16
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVIDIA GeForce GTX TITAN X
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Viotek 32", 28" ASUS VP28U
    Screen Resolution
    1080p
    Hard Drives
    Primary SAMSUNG 970 EVO Plus
    PSU
    EVGA BQ 700w 80+ Bronze
    Case
    Zalman i3 NEO
    Cooling
    ARCTIC Freezer 7 X
    Keyboard
    Corsair
    Mouse
    Amazon Generic with Cord
    Internet Speed
    Download: 295.11 mbps Upload: 65.35 mbps T-Mobile Internet
    Browser
    Firefox and Edge
    Antivirus
    MS - Defender
    Other Info
    Speakers: Klipsch ProMedia 2.1
There's NO WAY they'd dumb down the taskbar this much. And throw away the context menu that makes it quick and easy to get the Task Manager ....
the right-click on Start still gives a context menu for that....
There's no WAY they'd force you to find some minuscule spot buried in the invisible corner at the bottom right of the screen to switch to the desktop....
I throw the mouse cursor in the general direction of the bottom right corner, and when it inevitably overshoots it gets stopped at the exact spot needed.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23
    CPU
    AMD Athlon Silver 3050U
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon Graphics
    Monitor(s) Displays
    laptop screen
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768 native resolution, up to 2560x1440 with Radeon Virtual Super Resolution
    Hard Drives
    1TB Samsung EVO 870 SSD
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbps
    Browser
    Edge, Firefox
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    fully 'Windows 11 ready' laptop. Windows 10 C: partition migrated from my old unsupported 'main machine' then upgraded to 11. A test migration ran Insider builds for 2 months. When 11 was released on 5th October it was re-imaged back to 10 and was offered the upgrade in Windows Update on 20th October. Windows Update offered the 22H2 Feature Update on 20th September 2022. It got the 23H2 Feature Update on 4th November 2023 through Windows Update.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Lattitude E4310
    CPU
    Intel® Core™ i5-520M
    Motherboard
    0T6M8G
    Memory
    8GB
    Graphics card(s)
    (integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Screen Resolution
    1366x768
    Hard Drives
    500GB Crucial MX500 SSD
    Browser
    Firefox, Edge
    Antivirus
    Defender
    Other Info
    unsupported machine: Legacy bios, MBR, TPM 1.2, upgraded from W10 to W11 using W10/W11 hybrid install media workaround. In-place upgrade to 22H2 using ISO and a workaround. Feature Update to 23H2 by manually installing the Enablement Package.

    My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro (and all my Hyper-V VMs).

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 4GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Beta as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 4GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus the Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds as a native boot .vhdx.
Unfortunately, because what I do much of the time apparently runs considerably better/faster on Windows 11, especially with the 12th gen CPU, I'm most likely going to have to find a way to work with it. But the sheer level of tone-deafness needed to do this many appallingly unproductive things in one swoop, is annoying. Most of them, like the replacement of the previous settings with what's there now is pretty awful, but not something you touch a dozen times a day.
But, for example, replacing the extremely simple process of connecting to a network in Windows 10 - one click, the networks display, click connect on the one you want and you're set, with this labyrinthine process of clicking the network, then clicking settings, then clicking Network & Internet, then clicking Wi-fi, then clicking Show available networks, then FINALLY selecting a network is abysmal. If you have multiple data streams, and need to switch depending on what you're doing, it's dreadful. SO FAR, I haven't found a way to do a single click and even see the available networks, so if there's some way to reduce the laborious process, I'd love for somebody to tell me.

But worse is those trivial things that get done a dozen times a day - yes, I KNOW I can drag the mouse over to the start Icon and right click and go up the menu to Task Manager, but I cannot IMAGINE a reasonable rationale for taking AWAY the ability to simply right-click ANYWHERE in the task bar and do the same thing.

But to answer your question, you can go to the start menu and set each app to the task bar just as you can in 10.
I haven't found the trick to setting up the "task" in the task bar that does "Show Desktop". How do I do that so I can put it next to the Start icon and STOP opening Outlook every time I jump over there and hit the icon where that used to be?

Again, like we've all had to in the past, I'll get used to it, but in general, Windows has been dumbed down incredibly, and seems geared toward small children or something. It's like the Windows 8 Metro of 2022. I foresee either Classic Shell or StartAllBack in my future.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
I use Open Shell newer version of Classic Shell on the left and the Win11 Start in the Centre, basically as a replacement for Quick Launch, having disposed of the rubbish MS seems to think everyone wants and disabled Recommended.

Pretty sure the new interface is aimed more at finger pokers and Tablets, Surface etc.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22H2 OS Build 22623.1095
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Self Build
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3800X
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME B350-PLUS
    Memory
    16GB Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4 @3000Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ASUS - GeForce RTX 3070 Ti 8 GB TUF GAMING OC
    Sound Card
    On Board Realtec
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer KA241
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    240GB PNY CS900 SSD - OS
    2 x 1TB Crucial MX500 SSD
    1 x 500GB Crucial MX300 SSD
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM001-1ER164
    2TB Seagate ST2000DM008-2FR102
    PSU
    750 Watt Corsair TX750 Plus
    Case
    Cooler Master 690 III
    Cooling
    Akasa AK98 5 Case Fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech K270 - wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech - M185 wireless
    Internet Speed
    BT Fibre 75 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Use hardware KVM to switch monitors on three PCs and software (input director) to use mouse and keyboard on all 4 PCs.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 22H2 build 22621.900
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 3881 - modified with SFX PSU fitted internally
    CPU
    Intel i5 - 10400
    Motherboard
    Dell 032w55 version A00
    Memory
    16GB of HyperX Fury @ 2133 Mhz
    Graphics card(s)
    EVGA 6GB GTX 1060.
    Sound Card
    Builtin
    Monitor(s) Displays
    ACER KA241
    Screen Resolution
    1920x 1080 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    256GB SK hynix NVMe
    1TB Western Digital WD10EZEX-75WN4A1
    PSU
    Modular 450 Watt Corsair SF450 Platinum ( Mod to replace the Dell 265 Watt PSU)
    Case
    Inspiron Small Desktop
    Cooling
    Dell stock cooler
    Mouse
    Dell
    Keyboard
    Dell
    Internet Speed
    BT Fibre 75 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Use hardware KVM to switch monitors on three PCs and software (input director) to use mouse and keyboard on all 4 PCs.
I'm pretty sure I'll be doing something 'cause so far Windows 11 is NOT impressive.

And yeah, this is what happens when you try to shove the same operating system at multiple, incompatible platforms... It winds up being dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. That's seems to be what we're seeing here.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Built
    CPU
    i9-12900 overclocked just a touch
    Motherboard
    MSI Tomahawk
    Memory
    64 GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    NVidia 4060 Ti
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell 3818 & Dell 2407 on the desktop, Dell 2405 on the laptop, Dell 3014 in the RV for traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x1600
    Hard Drives
    1TB SSD for O/S, 4TB for non-image stuff, 8TB SSD for images, 10TB spinning platters for backups.
    PSU
    EVGA 850 silver
    Case
    Phantek
    Cooling
    Noctua NH-D15
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Mouse
    Logitech wireless M575 trackball
    Internet Speed
    Varies between 20 and 400 Mbps
    Browser
    Firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Plain ordinary PC.
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell 7740 Precision
    CPU
    I9-9880
    Motherboard
    Dell
    Memory
    64GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Quadro RTX 3000
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17" 4K and Dell 2405 as needed. Dell 3014 in RV when traveling.
    Screen Resolution
    3840x2160, 2560x1600 with connected to 3014
    Hard Drives
    Nothing spinning, 4, 1TB NVME SSD internal.
    PSU
    Dell 240W
    Mouse
    Logitech M570 wireless trackball
    Keyboard
    Logitech wireless
    Internet Speed
    Depends on how fast the hotspot is wherever I am.
    Browser
    firefox, Chrome
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender...
    Other Info
    Just an ordinary laptop for doing image processing and presentation.
I'm pretty sure I'll be doing something 'cause so far Windows 11 is NOT impressive.

And yeah, this is what happens when you try to shove the same operating system at multiple, incompatible platforms... It winds up being dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. That's seems to be what we're seeing here.
I would suggest you stick with Windows 10.
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Homebuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 3800XT
    Motherboard
    ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Hero (WiFi)
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti
  • Operating System
    Windows 11 Education
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Inspiron 7773
    CPU
    Intel i7-8550U
    Memory
    32GB
    Graphics card(s)
    Nvidia Geforce MX150
    Sound Card
    Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    17"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    Toshiba 512GB NVMe SSD
    SK Hynix 512GB SATA SSD
    Internet Speed
    Fast!
I would suggest you stick with Windows 10.
Perhaps with something other than a Gen12 Intel CPU, so there is no concern about support for the new architecture.

Maybe 11 is still the best choice, as it appears to be supplying "GracieAllen" a lot of entertainment. :wink:
 

My Computers

System One System Two

  • OS
    Windows 11 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Amd Threadripper 7970X
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte TRX50 Aero D
    Memory
    128GB (4 X 32) Kingston DDR5 5200 (RDIMM)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 4090 OC
    Sound Card
    none (USB to speakers), Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 27E1N8900 OLED
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @ 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    Crucial T700 2TB M.2 NVME SSD
    WD 4TB Blue SATA SSD
    Seagate 18TB IronWolf Pro
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1600 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo XL
    Cooling
    Alphacool Eisbaer Pro Aurora 360, with 3 Phanteks T30 fans
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 (wired)
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
    Internet Speed
    1200 Mbps
  • Operating System
    windows 11 22631.2861
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    homebuilt
    CPU
    Intel I9-13900K
    Motherboard
    Asus RoG Strix Z690-E
    Memory
    64GB G.Skill DDR5-6000
    Graphics card(s)
    Gigabyte RTX 3090 ti
    Sound Card
    built in Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus PA329C
    Screen Resolution
    3840 X 2160 @60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WDC SN850 1TB
    8 TB Seagate Ironwolf
    4TB Seagate Ironwolf
    PSU
    eVGA SuperNOVA 1300 GT
    Case
    Lian Li 011 Dynamic Evo
    Cooling
    Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE CAPELLIX Liquid CPU Cooler
    Mouse
    Logitech M500s (wired)
    Keyboard
    Logitech K120 (wired)
Perhaps with something other than a Gen12 Intel CPU, so there is no concern about support for the new architecture.
Yes, if your new machine has Alder Lake CPU, you definitely should install Windows 11 directly and then tune the UI if you don't like its current look, as many of us have done. Because if you install Windows 10, you will have to upgrade to 11 soon or later anyway.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 11 Pro; Windows 8.1 Pro
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    CPU
    i7-12700K (Alder Lake)
    Motherboard
    Asus PRIME Z690-M Plus D4
    Memory
    16 GB (2x8 Corsair DDR4-2132)
    Graphics Card(s)
    Asus GeForce 1050 Ti, 4 GB
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Philips 235PQ
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Windows 11: Samsung SSD 870 EVO, 500 GB (SATA), MBR
    Windows 8.1: Samsung SSD 980 PRO, 500 GB (M.2), MBR
    PSU
    Platimax D.F. 1050 W (80 Plus Platinum)
    Internet Speed
    Local link 1 Gbps, provider's line 500 Mbps
    Browser
    Google Chrome
    Other Info
    Realtek PCIe GbE Family Controller (for Windows 8.1 compatibility)
    Microsoft Office H&S 2013 x64

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