time to replace components in wife's computer for dreaded Win10 to Win11


Which part are you doubting? The part where Dave Cutler designed WNT based on VMS?

"Remember HAL ... shift ahead one letter in the alphabet and get IBM? Windows NT (WNT)... is one letter ahead of VMS, which Dave Cutler (grabbed by MS from DEC) made hefty use of when he led the design of of WNT for Microsoft."

It started with this nonsense about shifting letters to get to IBM and WNT. But then you say Microsoft "grabbed" Cutler from DEC. Well, they hired him. You're implying that they hired him to steal design from DEC. But what is Cutler supposed to do? Forget everything he knows about operating systems? If I make Fancy Web App, and it's a hit, and then MegaCorp hires me to make Fancy Phone App, should I just forget everything I know about software development? Not gonna happen.

Or the part where you yourself acknowledged that MS needs to isolate the files/functions such that they could head towards real security?

When did I say that?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H212th Gen Core i7-1260P64 GB Micron PC4-25600Intel Iris Xe Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Intel NUC12WSHi7
CPU
12th Gen Core i7-1260P
Motherboard
NUC12WSBi7
Memory
64 GB Micron PC4-25600
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Sound Card
on-board Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell U3219Q
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 1TB
Crucial MX500 2 TB
Antivirus
Microsoft Defender
Conspiracy? No.

Coordination with hardware vendors on pushing the leading edge as the only option with disregard for those home mom and pop users, yes.

Here's the thing, champ. You don't have to run Windows 11.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H212th Gen Core i7-1260P64 GB Micron PC4-25600Intel Iris Xe Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Intel NUC12WSHi7
CPU
12th Gen Core i7-1260P
Motherboard
NUC12WSBi7
Memory
64 GB Micron PC4-25600
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Sound Card
on-board Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell U3219Q
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 1TB
Crucial MX500 2 TB
Antivirus
Microsoft Defender
My old hardware was good for almost ten years, I figured it didn't owe me anything after that run, so my Win11 box is all new.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655Intel Core i5 1450064GB DDR4GeForce RTX 4060
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524Intel Core i5 1440032GB DDR5Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
Conspiracy? No.

Coordination with hardware vendors on pushing the leading edge as the only option with disregard for those home mom and pop users, yes.
20% is still a thick slice. They don't call it the Consortium for nothing and no, it is isn't all about Windows. The big push is on for hardware and at the commercial/industrial level we're talking billions and billions. Mom and Pop are simply just getting caught in the jet stream and let's face it — all those new AI features are going to be pretty useless on the home front if the older hardware can't use them. They may not call themselves the Consortium Group anymore, but that's how they started and you can best believe they're still at it.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

WIN 11, WIN 10, WIN 8.1, WIN 7 U, WIN 7 PRO, ...Intel i7 6900K and i9-7960X / AMD 3800X (8 core)128 GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM (B DIE)NVIDIA 1070 and RTX 3070
OS
WIN 11, WIN 10, WIN 8.1, WIN 7 U, WIN 7 PRO, WIN 7 HOME (32 Bit), LINUX MINT
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
DIY, ASUS, and DELL
CPU
Intel i7 6900K and i9-7960X / AMD 3800X (8 core)
Motherboard
ASUS X99E-WS USB 3.1 and ASUS X299 SAGE
Memory
128 GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM (B DIE)
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA 1070 and RTX 3070
Sound Card
Crystal Sound (onboard)
Monitor(s) Displays
single Samsung 30" 4K and 8" aux monitor
Screen Resolution
4K and something equally attrocious. I'll be working on this.
Hard Drives
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W

Ports X, Y, and Z are reserved for USB access and removable drives.

Drive types consist of the following: Various mechanical hard drives bearing the brand names, Seagate, Toshiba, and Western Digital. Various NVMe drives bearing the brand names Kingston, Intel, Silicon Power, Crucial, Western Digital, and Team Group. Various SATA SSDs bearing various different brand names.

RAID arrays included:

LSI RAID 10 (WD Velociraptors) 1115.72 GB
LSI RAID 10 (WD SSDS) 463.80 GB

INTEL RAID 0 (KINGSTON HYPER X) System 447.14 GB
INTEL RAID 1 TOSHIBA ENTERPRIZE class Data 2794.52 GB
INTEL RAID 1 SEAGATE HYBRID 931.51 GB
PSU
SEVERAL. I prefer my Corsair Platinum HX1000i but I also like EVGA power supplies
Case
ThermalTake Level 10 GT (among others)
Cooling
Noctua is my favorite and I use it in my main. I also own various other coolers.
Keyboard
all kinds.
Mouse
all kinds
Internet Speed
360 mbps - 1 gbps (depending)
Browser
FIREFOX
Antivirus
KASPERSKY (no apologies)
Other Info
Gave Dell touch screen with Windows 11 to daughter and got me an OTVOC. Being a PC builder I own many desktop PCs as well. I am a father of five providing PCs, laptops, and tablets for all my family, most of which I have modified, rebuilt, or simply built from scratch. I do not own a cell phone, never have, never will.
at the commercial/industrial level we're talking billions and billions

We pay the same, whether we're using 7 or 8 or 10 or 11 or 12.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H212th Gen Core i7-1260P64 GB Micron PC4-25600Intel Iris Xe Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Intel NUC12WSHi7
CPU
12th Gen Core i7-1260P
Motherboard
NUC12WSBi7
Memory
64 GB Micron PC4-25600
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Sound Card
on-board Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell U3219Q
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 1TB
Crucial MX500 2 TB
Antivirus
Microsoft Defender
My old hardware was good for almost ten years, I figured it didn't owe me anything after that run, so my Win11 box is all new.
You played it right. I kinda/sorta jumped the gun on Windows 10 but I already had all the boxes to begin with so not all is well with Haswell. I wish the X99 could do 24H2 but that isn't gonna happen. The only other desktop I built new for myself was the X570 Crosshair HERO which is supposed to be Windows 11 ready so I guess I did okay. Could have been worse.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

WIN 11, WIN 10, WIN 8.1, WIN 7 U, WIN 7 PRO, ...Intel i7 6900K and i9-7960X / AMD 3800X (8 core)128 GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM (B DIE)NVIDIA 1070 and RTX 3070
OS
WIN 11, WIN 10, WIN 8.1, WIN 7 U, WIN 7 PRO, WIN 7 HOME (32 Bit), LINUX MINT
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
DIY, ASUS, and DELL
CPU
Intel i7 6900K and i9-7960X / AMD 3800X (8 core)
Motherboard
ASUS X99E-WS USB 3.1 and ASUS X299 SAGE
Memory
128 GB CORSAIR DOMINATOR PLATINUM (B DIE)
Graphics Card(s)
NVIDIA 1070 and RTX 3070
Sound Card
Crystal Sound (onboard)
Monitor(s) Displays
single Samsung 30" 4K and 8" aux monitor
Screen Resolution
4K and something equally attrocious. I'll be working on this.
Hard Drives
A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W

Ports X, Y, and Z are reserved for USB access and removable drives.

Drive types consist of the following: Various mechanical hard drives bearing the brand names, Seagate, Toshiba, and Western Digital. Various NVMe drives bearing the brand names Kingston, Intel, Silicon Power, Crucial, Western Digital, and Team Group. Various SATA SSDs bearing various different brand names.

RAID arrays included:

LSI RAID 10 (WD Velociraptors) 1115.72 GB
LSI RAID 10 (WD SSDS) 463.80 GB

INTEL RAID 0 (KINGSTON HYPER X) System 447.14 GB
INTEL RAID 1 TOSHIBA ENTERPRIZE class Data 2794.52 GB
INTEL RAID 1 SEAGATE HYBRID 931.51 GB
PSU
SEVERAL. I prefer my Corsair Platinum HX1000i but I also like EVGA power supplies
Case
ThermalTake Level 10 GT (among others)
Cooling
Noctua is my favorite and I use it in my main. I also own various other coolers.
Keyboard
all kinds.
Mouse
all kinds
Internet Speed
360 mbps - 1 gbps (depending)
Browser
FIREFOX
Antivirus
KASPERSKY (no apologies)
Other Info
Gave Dell touch screen with Windows 11 to daughter and got me an OTVOC. Being a PC builder I own many desktop PCs as well. I am a father of five providing PCs, laptops, and tablets for all my family, most of which I have modified, rebuilt, or simply built from scratch. I do not own a cell phone, never have, never will.
It started with this nonsense about shifting letters to get to IBM and WNT. But then you say Microsoft "grabbed" Cutler from DEC. Well, they hired him. You're implying that they hired him to steal design from DEC. But what is Cutler supposed to do? Forget everything he knows about operating systems? If I make Fancy Web App, and it's a hit, and then MegaCorp hires me to make Fancy Phone App, should I just forget everything I know about software development? Not gonna happen.

HAL > IBM = VMS > WNT has been discussed by Dave Cutler. I believe Dave said "What took you so long?". But believe what you want, I don't really care.

I implied nothing of the sort about Cutler or MS stealing from DEC. Don't put words my mouth. I said they "grabbed" him. MS saw an opportunity to make him a technology/career offer that was well timed. By 1988/89 most everyone at DEC was well aware of the issues our industry position and senior management direction presented - Cutler would certainly have been included. But DEC wasn't happy to lose him.

When did I say that?

Post #77. "It also didn't have the legacy UI stuff in it, and it separated user files, system files, and app files. That truly would be a new version of Windows, and I'm a little sad we haven't seen it yet."

That sounded like approval to me. Whatever.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 24H2Intel Ultra 7 155H16gbIntel Arc integrated
OS
Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP
CPU
Intel Ultra 7 155H
Memory
16gb
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Arc integrated
Hard Drives
SSD
By saying you implied something, I very much did not put words in your mouth.

imply: strongly suggest the truth or existence of (something not expressly stated).

And right, in my post, I did not say or acknowledge "that MS needs to isolate the files/functions such that they could head towards real security." Nice try though.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 25H212th Gen Core i7-1260P64 GB Micron PC4-25600Intel Iris Xe Graphics
OS
Windows 11 Pro 25H2
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
Intel NUC12WSHi7
CPU
12th Gen Core i7-1260P
Motherboard
NUC12WSBi7
Memory
64 GB Micron PC4-25600
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Iris Xe Graphics
Sound Card
on-board Realtek HD Audio
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell U3219Q
Screen Resolution
3840 x 2160
Hard Drives
Samsung SSD 990 PRO 1TB
Crucial MX500 2 TB
Antivirus
Microsoft Defender
Microsoft's division in charge of Windows, the "More Personal Computing Division," brings in about 21% of their revenue, about 12% of their operating income. That division includes Xbox, Bing, Copilot, advertising, etc., not just Windows. And for the part of the income that does include Windows, it includes OEMs and Enterprises, where the bulk of that money comes from.

Only 21% of revenue?
Since July of 2016, Microsoft has required OEMs to implement and enable TPM 2.0. You built your PC yourself and without TPM 2? That's neato, but you built it out of spec. Sorry.
Ok, but then why oh why didn't they do a real, full court press effort to educate DIY PC builders? Same for custom shops? Sure a custom shop could quote a lower price for non-conforming components that they still had in inventory, olr maybe pick up leftover new stock, but at least they should warn users.
Anyone who thinks this is some big conspiracy between Microsoft and OEMs to do a cash grab from poor mom and pop home users probably thinks Bill Gates is still involved in writing code for Microsoft.
You're right. But where in or outside of Microsoft is the "consumer advocate," the equivalent of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (US Senator, for those outside of the USA), to advocate for "us." I'm sure the OEMs. Dell. HP, Lenovo, and major component builders, say ASUS and Gigabyte, get lots of love from Microsoft.
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 2H25AMD 9900X64 GBAMD 9070 XT
OS
Windows 11 2H25
Computer type
PC/Desktop
Manufacturer/Model
DIY
CPU
AMD 9900X
Motherboard
MSI X870E Carbon
Memory
64 GB
Graphics Card(s)
AMD 9070 XT
Sound Card
built-in
Monitor(s) Displays
Dell 24"
Hard Drives
Sabrent 1 TB NVMe, 4 x SSD (need to check models), 4 x 3.5" HDD, 8-16 TB, all WD
PSU
Seasonic 850
Case
Fractal Design North XL (which I likw)
Cooling
Corsair AIO for CPU, fans for case
Keyboard
Das Keyboard 4
Mouse
Corsair M65 (white)
Internet Speed
1 TB download
Browser
Firefox
Antivirus
Bitdefender
Other Info
Also have Lenovo T14S laptop (me) and Lenovo Slim 71 (wife)
I tend to clean install whenever i redo my System or setup a new system in the Household

Less Problems

Cleaner Drive & Drivers

Sure a Clean install takes time, but sometimes its worth it, and honestly cloning the Family Windows 10 Desktop when replace that with Windows 11 Desktop, finally time to get rid of all the built up software crud, software errors, and such.

That system is an AMD A6 3620, with 8GB of Ram, 1TB Samsung 870 Evo Sata SSD (replaced the 1TB HDD that finally died in 2023), System was bought in June 2011. Heck some of the rear usb ports won't even recognize the wifi usb adapter anymore--the 2 usb 3.0 rear ports nada

Finally got the front port to recognize it, but still have to unplug device alot and replug back in to get it to work. Honestly i can't wait til have the funds saved up to replace that thing with a hopefully good system case with Filters, so won't have too much dust inside anymore like current system

My Main AMD machine i clean installed on Christmas 2024 when i got my newer Boot M.2 (Samsung 990 Evo Plus), been thinking maybe should've made the 990 Pro the boot drive, but i decided i'll just wait til i get a 2TB M.2 drive for the Game drive, then decide which M.2 slot i want that in
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8037AMD Ryzen 7700X32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600MhzRadeon 7800XT
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8037
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    PreBuilt
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7700X
    Motherboard
    MSI B650 VC WIfi Rev 1.0
    Memory
    32GB DDR 5 RGB 5600Mhz
    Graphics Card(s)
    Radeon 7800XT
    Sound Card
    Onboard Audio
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Asus VG245H
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Samsung 990 Evo Plus NVMe Boot
    Samsung 990 Pro 1TB Game NVMe



    External
    Western Digital Elements 500GB
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Blue
    Western Digital My Passport 2TB Red
    Toshiba 2TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 8TB in External Enclosure
    Seagate 1TB Portable USB 3 External Drive
    Western Digital My Book 8TB (Primary Backup drive)
    Western Digital Black 4TB In External Enclosure
    PSU
    750 Watt High Power
    Case
    Lian Li Lan Cool 216 ARGB Airflow
    Cooling
    2 160MM Front, 1 140MM Rear Exhaust
    Keyboard
    Logitech G513
    Mouse
    Logitech G502 X
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100Mb/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge Chromium and Bing Search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender, Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    UEFI, Secure Boot, TPM 2.0, Macrium Reflect X
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8037Ryzen 7 7735HS16GB DDR 5AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8037
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Asus TUF A16 Advantage Edition FA617NT.A16.R7700
    CPU
    Ryzen 7 7735HS
    Motherboard
    OEM Asus Motherboard
    Memory
    16GB DDR 5
    Graphics card(s)
    AMD Radeon™ 680M & Radeon 7700S
    Sound Card
    Onboard
    Monitor(s) Displays
    16inch FHD 165hz
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    512GB NVMe Boot Drive
    PSU
    Laptop PSU
    Case
    Laptop Case
    Cooling
    OEM Cooling
    Keyboard
    OEM Laptop Keyboard
    Mouse
    Touchpad & G502 Hero
    Internet Speed
    Gigabit 1100 Download/35 Upload
    Browser
    MS Edge with Bing search
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender & Malwarebytes Premium
    Other Info
    Macrium Reflect X
A clean installation will take about one hour (optimistic scenario) on a typical office computer with a few GB data to backup and up to 10 applications to reinstall. No big deal. For a typical home computer with at least 2TB data to backup and tens of applications to reinstall it will take a couple of days if you have too much free time. If like most of us your free time is limited, it will take a couple of weeks. No thanks, I will do my best to avoid it.
 
Last edited:

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz4GBMobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (5699), 25H2 (8655)
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Extensa 5630EZ
    CPU
    Mobile DualCore Intel Core 2 Duo T7250, 2000 MHz
    Motherboard
    Acer Extensa 5630
    Memory
    4GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    Mobile Intel(R) GMA 4500M (Mobile 4 series)
    Sound Card
    Realtek ALC268 @ Intel 82801IB ICH9 - High Definition Audio Controller
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1
    Screen Resolution
    1280x800
    Hard Drives
    Samsung SSD 850 EVO 250GB SATA Device (250 GB, SATA-III)
    Internet Speed
    VDSL 50 Mbps
    Browser
    MICROSOFT EDGE
    Antivirus
    WINDOWS DEFENDER
    Other Info
    Legacy MBR installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, no WDDM 2.0 graphics drivers, no SSE4.2, cannot get more unsupported ;) This is only my test laptop. I had installed Windows 11 here before upgrading my main PC. For my main PC I use everyday see my 2nd system specs.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generat...2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB...
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro v25H2 (build 26200.8655)
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Custom-built PC
    CPU
    Intel Core-i7 3770 3.40GHz s1155 (3rd generation)
    Motherboard
    Asus P8H61 s1155 ATX
    Memory
    2x Kingston Hyper-X Blu 8GB DDR3-1600
    Graphics card(s)
    GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3050 WINDFORCE OC V2 6GB (GV-N3050WF2OCV2-6GD)
    Sound Card
    Realtek HD audio (ALC887)
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Sony Bravia KDL-19L4000 19" LCD TV via VGA
    Screen Resolution
    1440x900 32-bit 60Hz
    Hard Drives
    WD Blue SA510 2.5 1000GB SSD as system disk, Western Digital Caviar Purple 4TB SATA III (WD40PURZ) as second
    PSU
    Thermaltake Litepower RGB 550W Full Wired
    Case
    SUPERCASE MIDI-TOWER
    Cooling
    Deepcool Gamma Archer CPU cooler, 1x 8cm fan at the back
    Keyboard
    Mitsumi 101-key PS/2
    Mouse
    Sunnyline OptiEye PS/2
    Internet Speed
    100Mbps
    Browser
    Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox
    Antivirus
    Microsoft Windows Defender
    Other Info
    Legacy BIOS (MBR) installation, no TPM, no Secure Boot, WDDM 3.0 graphics drivers, WEI score 7.4
By saying you implied something, I very much did not put words in your mouth.

imply: strongly suggest the truth or existence of (something not expressly stated).

And right, in my post, I did not say or acknowledge "that MS needs to isolate the files/functions such that they could head towards real security." Nice try though.

Oh, I guess you just implied it.

See how that works?
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 24H2Intel Ultra 7 155H16gbIntel Arc integrated
OS
Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP
CPU
Intel Ultra 7 155H
Memory
16gb
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Arc integrated
Hard Drives
SSD
A clean installation will take about one hour (optimistic scenario) on a typical office computer with a few GB data to backup and up to 10 applications to reinstall. No big deal. For a typical home computer with at least 2TB data to backup and tens of applications to reinstall it will take a couple of days if you have too much free time. If like most of us your free time is limited, it will take a couple of weeks. No thanks, I will do my best to avoid it.
Well, the 2TB of data (you're pretty close on my system storage use), you should have that backed up anyway, so that's not going to take a lot of time. However, installing all the applications I use did take a number of hours, probably 8-10 hours total for the installations and the customization of the environment.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655Intel Core i5 1450064GB DDR4GeForce RTX 4060
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524Intel Core i5 1440032GB DDR5Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
Well, the 2TB of data (you're pretty close on my system storage use), you should have that backed up anyway, so that's not going to take a lot of time. However, installing all the applications I use did take a number of hours, probably 8-10 hours total for the installations and the customization of the environment.

Similar for me, but with less data to be copied.

I suppose that I could script my installations... or even just document all the installs and tweaks I do to get my setup to where it works for me, but I've yet to do it. So, a clean install is a bit of a long project. Then again, I hope to never have to do it, so there's that. :-)
 

My Computer My Computer

At a glance

Windows 11 Pro 24H2Intel Ultra 7 155H16gbIntel Arc integrated
OS
Windows 11 Pro 24H2
Computer type
Laptop
Manufacturer/Model
HP
CPU
Intel Ultra 7 155H
Memory
16gb
Graphics Card(s)
Intel Arc integrated
Hard Drives
SSD
Similar for me, but with less data to be copied.

I suppose that I could script my installations... or even just document all the installs and tweaks I do to get my setup to where it works for me, but I've yet to do it. So, a clean install is a bit of a long project. Then again, I hope to never have to do it, so there's that. :-)
I looked at the scripts for installations, but it would take far longer to setup the scripts than to just install the apps. I think scripts are the key if you're doing a lot of similar installations on multiple machines. I see much less utility for scripts for a one-off machine build.

The big thing I like about a clean install is I get a clean slate. Over a few years, I end up with a lot of crap that was installed, used once of a few times, and then forgotten. I leave those behind when I do a clean install and end up with a much more lean and mean installation.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655Intel Core i5 1450064GB DDR4GeForce RTX 4060
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524Intel Core i5 1440032GB DDR5Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
Similar for me, but with less data to be copied.

I suppose that I could script my installations... or even just document all the installs and tweaks I do to get my setup to where it works for me, but I've yet to do it. So, a clean install is a bit of a long project. Then again, I hope to never have to do it, so there's that. :-)
I looked at the scripts for installations, but it would take far longer to setup the scripts than to just install the apps. I think scripts are the key if you're doing a lot of similar installations on multiple machines. I see much less utility for scripts for a one-off machine build.

The big thing I like about a clean install is I get a clean slate. Over a few years, I end up with a lot of crap that was installed, used once of a few times, and then forgotten.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655Intel Core i5 1450064GB DDR4GeForce RTX 4060
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524Intel Core i5 1440032GB DDR5Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
However, installing all the applications I use did take a number of hours, probably 8-10 hours total for the installations and the customization of the environment.
For most of my systems that have had a clean install that's about right. Maybe a few last finishing touches to the customisation over the next couple of weeks.

But not all my systems have had a clean install. I have some software of my System One that cannot be reinstalled. If I wish to keep it then 'serial upgrades' are my only option. Hence my System One's OS started life as OEM Windows 7 on an older PC, took all the W10 upgrades up to 2021, then was migrated to W11 compatible hardware to get the W11 upgrade.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 HomeAMD Athlon Silver 3050U8GBRadeon Graphics
    OS
    Windows 11 Home
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acer Aspire 3 A315-23-R9VY
    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 (from April 2026: 250GB EVO 850)
    Internet Speed
    150 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 2021 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, 24H2 on 3rd October 2024 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 24H2, and 25H2 on 30th September 2025 through Windows Update by setting the Target Release Version for 25H2.

    UPDATE - 11 April 2026: due to mechanical deterioration this PC has been retired from active duty. The OS with all software and files has been migrated to my System Seven in 'Other systems' to carry on as my general purpose 'main machine'.
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 ProIntel® Core™ i5-520M8GB(integrated graphics) Intel HD Graphics
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Dell Latitude 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.
    In-place upgrade to 24H2 using hybrid 23H2/24H2 install media.
    Upgraded to 25H2 by Enablement Package.

    Also running Insider Dev, and Canary builds and Windows 10 as native boot .vhdx.
  • My SYSTEM THREE is a Dell Latitude 5410, i7-10610U, 32GB RAM, 512GB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro.

    My SYSTEM FOUR is a 2-in-1 convertible Lenovo Yoga 11e 20DA, Celeron N2930, 8GB RAM, 256GB ssd. Unsupported device: currently running Win10 Pro, plus Win11 Pro RTM and Insider Dev, Beta, and RP 24H2 as native boot vhdx.

    My SYSTEM FIVE is a Dell Latitude 3190 2-in-1, Pentium Silver N5030, 8GB RAM, 1TB NVMe ssd, supported device running Windows 11 Pro, plus Insider Beta, Dev, and Canary builds (and a few others) as a native boot .vhdx.

    My SYSTEM SIX is a Dell Latitude 5550, Core Ultra 7 165H, 64GB RAM, 1TB NVMe SSD, supported device, Windows 11 Pro 24H2, Hyper-V host machine. Updated to 25H2 on 30th September 2025.

    My SYSTEM SEVEN is a Lenovo Thinkpad T580, Intel Core i7-8650U, 16GB RAM, 512GB NVMe SSD + 2nd 512GB NVMe SSD, a supported device for Windows 11. This is my current general purpose 'main machine'. The installed Windows 11 Home from my System One has been migrated to this machine.
For most of my systems that have had a clean install that's about right. Maybe a few last finishing touches to the customisation over the next couple of weeks.

But not all my systems have had a clean install. I have some software of my System One that cannot be reinstalled. If I wish to keep it then 'serial upgrades' are my only option. Hence my System One's OS started life as OEM Windows 7 on an older PC, took all the W10 upgrades up to 2021, then was migrated to W11 compatible hardware to get the W11 upgrade.
That progression would give me the Willies, hard to imagine there aren't some hidden gems waiting to bite you there. :unsure:
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655Intel Core i5 1450064GB DDR4GeForce RTX 4060
    OS
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8655
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14500
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M G P WIFI
    Memory
    64GB DDR4
    Graphics Card(s)
    GeForce RTX 4060
    Sound Card
    Chipset Realtek
    Monitor(s) Displays
    LG 45" Ultragear, Acer 24" 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    5120x1440, 1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 3D NAND NVMe M.2 SSD (O/S)
    Silicon Power 2TB US75 NVMe PCIe Gen4 M.2 2280 SSD (backup)
    Crucial BX500 2TB 3D NAND (2nd backup)
    Seagate 4TB Ironwolf, rotating HDD archive files
    External off-line backup Drives: 2 NVMe 4TB drives in external enclosures
    PSU
    Thermaltake Toughpower GF3 750W
    Case
    LIAN LI LANCOOL 216 E-ATX PC Case
    Cooling
    Lots of fans!
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
  • At a glance

    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524Intel Core i5 1440032GB DDR5Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Operating System
    Win 11 Pro 25H2, Build 26200.8524
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Home Brew
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 14400
    Motherboard
    Gigabyte B760M DS3H AX
    Memory
    32GB DDR5
    Graphics card(s)
    Intel 700 Embedded GPU
    Sound Card
    Realtek Embedded
    Monitor(s) Displays
    27" HP 1080p
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    Crucial P310 2TB 2280 PCIe Gen4 eD NAND PCIe SSD
    Samsung EVO 990 2TB NVMe Gen4 SSD
    Samsung 2TB SATA SSD
    PSU
    Thermaltake Smart BM3 650W
    Case
    Okinos Micro ATX Case
    Cooling
    Fans
    Keyboard
    Microsoft Comfort Curve 2000
    Mouse
    Logitech G305
    Internet Speed
    Verizon FiOS 1GB
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Malware Bytes & Windows Defender Security
I save the downloaded installation files (msi or exe files) on a separate drive. I could reinstall ten apps in twenty minutes easily.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics16GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic LX15PRO
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics
    Memory
    16GB
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SSD 2TB
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot Secure Anywhere
    Other Info
    System 3

    Acer Swift SF114-34 laptop
    OS Windows 11 Pro 26200.8524
    CPU Pentium Silver N6000
    RAM 4GB
    SSD Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB (an upgrade)
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506Atom N450 1.66GHz2GB
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Mini 210-1090NR PC (bought in late 2009!)
    CPU
    Atom N450 1.66GHz
    Memory
    2GB
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot
A 'reinstall using Windows update' is painless, fairly quick and keeps all your files and apps. I commend it to you.
 

My Computers My Computers

  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics16GB
    OS
    Windows 11 Pro 25H2 26200.8655
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    Acemagic LX15PRO
    CPU
    AMD Ryzen 7 5825U with Radeon Graphics
    Memory
    16GB
    Screen Resolution
    1920 x 1080
    Hard Drives
    SSD 2TB
    Internet Speed
    30 Mbps
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot Secure Anywhere
    Other Info
    System 3

    Acer Swift SF114-34 laptop
    OS Windows 11 Pro 26200.8524
    CPU Pentium Silver N6000
    RAM 4GB
    SSD Samsung 970 EVO Plus SSD 2TB (an upgrade)
  • At a glance

    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506Atom N450 1.66GHz2GB
    Operating System
    Windows 11 Pro 23H2 22631.2506
    Computer type
    Laptop
    Manufacturer/Model
    HP Mini 210-1090NR PC (bought in late 2009!)
    CPU
    Atom N450 1.66GHz
    Memory
    2GB
    Browser
    Brave
    Antivirus
    Webroot
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