[SOLVED] To try or not to try Windows 11, that is the question ?

[Isaac Zackary]

Long story short, I sent in my Windows GO for repair (not W11 compatible) and Microsoft sent me back a GO 2 that is my first Windows 11 compatible computer (or tablet, technically speaking). Should I wait to install W11? There ain't a lot of memory on this computer (128GB) so would that be a reason not to switch? How hard would it be to switch back to W10 if I didn't like it?

 

[USAFRet]

Long story short, I sent in my Windows GO for repair (not W11 compatible) and Microsoft sent me back a GO 2 that is my first Windows 11 compatible computer (or tablet, technically speaking). Should I wait to install W11? There ain't a lot of memory on this computer (128GB) so would that be a reason not to switch? How hard would it be to switch back to W10 if I didn't like it?

128GB SSD drive?
That is marginal for either 10 or 11.

Or 128GB RAM?
That is NOT 'marginal' for any consumer system.


10 or 11....there is little actual performance difference.
Eye candy, some things in different places.
Took me a whole day to get used to Win 11.

 

[Isaac Zackary]

128 GB RAM but only 64 GB 5400RPM hard drive... Just kidding!

No, it's got a 128 GB main SSD, although I can add an SD card that's even bigger I do believe. It has 8 GB RAM. It seems to be exactly the same tablet as the Surface GO, except it's Windows 11 compatible.

Right now I have it laying down on an upside-down, thick aluminum bottom pot to act as a heatsink as it does it's first update. (FYI, the tablet is passively cooled.)

 

[USAFRet]

If it comes with Win 10, leave it, until it wants to natively upgrade to Win 11.
Then, either let it do it, or put that on ignore.

No need to force it.

 

[Isaac Zackary]

Ok. It hasn't asked for W11 yet as I just got it a few minutes before I posted the first post. So I have no idea when it will tell me about W11. All I know is it's only Microsoft's list of W11 compatibles.

But anyway I won't force it. Thanks!

 

[dwd999]

Long story short, I sent in my Windows GO for repair (not W11 compatible) and Microsoft sent me back a GO 2 that is my first Windows 11 compatible computer (or tablet, technically speaking). Should I wait to install W11? There ain't a lot of memory on this computer (128GB) so would that be a reason not to switch? How hard would it be to switch back to W10 if I didn't like it?

Is it really W11 compatible? What model cpu does it have? When W11 was first introduced MS talked about how it offered much better security. Then it was pointed out that the same security features were available with W10. So MS changed their story and talked about how W11 had a new Thread Director specifically designed in conjunction with Intel for series 12 cpus. I'm not sure if that's ever been proven to be a true advancement. Anyway personally I'm sticking with W10 until I get a new system with a series 12 or 13 cpu. I do have an alternate ssd that I can boot with W11 to check on its development status but I don't use it for day to day work.

 

[Isaac Zackary]

Is it really W11 compatible? What model cpu does it have?

Which Surface devices can be upgraded to Windows 11? (microsoft.com)
Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y

 

[dwd999]

Which Surface devices can be upgraded to Windows 11? (microsoft.com)
Intel Pentium Gold 4425Y

So it doesn't look like it would benefit from their vaunted new Thread Director. So what does MS say would be the benefit of W11 for your device other than uniformity of user interface and menus with other W11 devices you might have? So they at least mention security? It seems like they're being intentionally vague. Maybe when they issue the 22H2 update you could consider it then.

 

[Isaac Zackary]

other than uniformity of user interface and menus with other W11 devices you might have?

I don't have any other Windows 11 devices. I have one ancient (2006) laptop I forced the W11 install just for the fun of it, but I wouldn't consider that as a proper W11 experience.

 

[dwd999]

I don't have any other Windows 11 devices. I have one ancient (2006) laptop I forced the W11 install just for the fun of it, but I wouldn't consider that as a proper W11 experience.

That's why I keep my alternate ssd updated; so I can see what they're up to while waiting for the major 22H2 update. Since I have one system with a 11900K and Z590 chipset I do get most of the W11 experience without the new Thread Director. If I get a 12900 I'll consider W11 at that time but I may go with a Ryzen 7000 if the built in graphics are good so I don't know how that will effect things. Plus I'll have to see when my preferred wifi company TP-Link starts selling 6E routers. If I need W11 for that then it will mean reevaluating the situation. Going back to your original question if you do decide to try it the best thing to do would be use an ssd imaging program like Macrium to store an image of your W10 setup on a usb or external disk or even your laptop. Then if W11 doesn't work out you can just reload your W10 image and it quickly makes W11 go away.

 

[Viking2121]

This is just my opinion on Win 11.

I run windows 11 Pro atm and have been since the tech preview days, I forced myself to get use to it, now it isn't terrible but it isn't great, The list of things I hate or have issues with are much longer than the things I like about it, thats the short version.

The task bar, oh where do I start, Well The default centering of the task bar icons is nice, especially on a ultra wide, the problem with it though the entire left side of it is useless, like the more windows you have open, the more the icons go to the right rather then spread it out, Also I really do hate the tiny icons of the running tasks down there, especially if you have a lot of windows open of the same program or just the explorer window, I always find my self hovering over it with my mouse to figure out what window is what, where in any other OS I can make them where I can read what windows is what and I can get things done faster without feeling frustrated. You can't change them in Win 11, they are tiny all the time. On and forget about moving the taskbar, thats so in the past......

The start menu, I don't care what anyone thinks, its sucks, Its not nearly as easy or fast to scroll and look for things that the crappy windows search wont find, and its slow sometimes.

The right click menu, I thought I can get use to it, the icons to copy and paste, or the "show more options" buttons to get the standard right click menu, yeah no I can't get use to it, Its so slow and more annoying and more clicks than what you have to do some things.

Oh and the Task Manager, whatever Microsoft did months ago when TaskManger would crash when clicking on the processes tab, its still a problem. it still crashes from time to time, not every time like it use to, of course its a problem they acknowledged but who knows when they will actually fix something that's needed.

So The good anyway, the settings menu is a lot better, still need the old control panel for a lot of stuff still, but it is a good step up from Win 10, The Game bar works better in Win 11, I use it for recording the last 5 min of games and Win 10 it would sometimes cause weird lag in some games like Forza, a game that I'd expect it to work the best in actually.

I had to buy StartAllBack to bring back the functionality with the task bar, I can make the running tasks bigger, I can keep the tasks centered but keep the start menu way over on the left, everything will now use up the space when you have a bunch of open tasks, its nice to see what you are clicking on with a bunch of windows. It also makes the start menu like the windows 7 style, and the search works!!!!!! I also allowed it to make the task bar clear, kind of different, and I can move it to the side, and up top, and all the fancy things that you could of done in previous windows without paid software...

I feel like there's more that I can't think of atm, If I had to reinstall windows, and for productivity work wise, Windows 10 was just out right faster just because of the stupid little interface changes Microsoft wants to force of people, more clicking, more guessing on Win 11, vs Win 10.

 

[Isaac Zackary]

That's why I keep my alternate ssd updated; so I can see what they're up to while waiting for the major 22H2 update. Since I have one system with a 11900K and Z590 chipset I do get most of the W11 experience without the new Thread Director. If I get a 12900 I'll consider W11 at that time but I may go with a Ryzen 7000 if the built in graphics are good so I don't know how that will effect things. Plus I'll have to see when my preferred wifi company TP-Link starts selling 6E routers. If I need W11 for that then it will mean reevaluating the situation. Going back to your original question if you do decide to try it the best thing to do would be use an ssd imaging program like Macrium to store an image of your W10 setup on a usb or external disk or even your laptop. Then if W11 doesn't work out you can just reload your W10 image and it quickly makes W11 go away.

The 2006 computer runs like a tricycle in a mud pit trying to get out, and that's with an SSD, the fastest CPU, the fastest Graphics card and the whole 4GB of RAM it can hold (obviously so old you can change CPUs and graphics card in a laptop).

But the table is quite the opposite. The thing is glued together and the boot SSD is soldered to the motherboard.

So you say I could flash the SSD over to an external drive?? I could try it I guess. It doesn't sound easy.

 

[dwd999]

The 2006 computer runs like a tricycle in a mud pit trying to get out, and that's with an SSD, the fastest CPU, the fastest Graphics card and the whole 4GB of RAM it can hold (obviously so old you can change CPUs and graphics card in a laptop).

But the table is quite the opposite. The thing is glued together and the boot SSD is soldered to the motherboard.

So you say I could flash the SSD over to an external drive?? I could try it I guess. It doesn't sound easy.

No, I'm saying that you could make a backup image of the tablet's ssd that can be used to restore (copied back to the ssd) the current W10 configuration if W11 is not to your liking.

 

[TheFlash1300]

Long story short, I sent in my Windows GO for repair (not W11 compatible) and Microsoft sent me back a GO 2 that is my first Windows 11 compatible computer (or tablet, technically speaking). Should I wait to install W11? There ain't a lot of memory on this computer (128GB) so would that be a reason not to switch? How hard would it be to switch back to W10 if I didn't like it?

If you like the features in Windows 11 more than those in Windows 10, you may install Windows 11.

However, keep in mind that there isn't a lot of difference between win10 and win11. The main difference is some design changes and the security level - TPM 2.0. This is the main difference, as far as I know.

Basically, they purpose of Win11 is mostly to boost hardware sales, which is why it has such inflated requirements. If Microsoft was so concerned about our security, they could have added security modules to Windows 10, too, without removing support for older hardware. If they did it, now we could have an OS that is compatible with old and new hardware, but the TMP 2.0 in it is compatible only with specific hardware. Instead, they decided to completely end support for Windows 10, and keep support only for Windows 11 that can't be installed on old hardware, but only on new hardware.

It could have been much better, if they added the security modules in win10, but make the modules available only for those win10 systems that are installed on the required hardware, without having to completely end win10, and focus only on the OS with the high requirements.

This is my opinion.

 

[USAFRet]

they purpose of Win11 is mostly to boost hardware sales

Why does MS care about hardware sales? Except for Surface devices, they don't make PC's.

As for the TPM requirement, MS has been pushing manufacturers to do that for years. They blew it off.
Now, MS is forcing the issue.

 

[Colif]

Most of the complaints about the task bar and Start will be fixed in 22H2 - https://pureinfotech.com/windows-11-22h2-new-features/

Windows 11 exists because Microsoft have almost always released a new OS every 5 years.
Its nothing more than that. https://www.pcmag.com/encyclopedia/term/windows-versions
No over arching conspiracy, just their release schedule.

TPM was first mentioned in WIn 10 but as stated, it was ignored for most part by makers. Now some users are stuck in the cross fire and bought PC in last 2 years that can't update, and they blamed MS when really it wasn't them.

It isn't much different to windows 10 but its also free if your hardware can run it, so why fight the offer it will send that device once its got enough updates. It even ran the test on my win 10 VM which failed (I didn't want it on there anyway)

 

[joeldf]

I know Start is supposed to change with the next big update, but I really wish they would offer the option to just get rid of the the "Recommended" section completely.

I mean, I know what's on my PC, and I know what programs I want to use at any given time. Why do I need to have anything recommended to me there? I don't. And it's one of the stupidest things MS came up with taking up valuable space in a place that gets regular interactions. It's not the only stupidest thing... just one of them.

I know the recommendations can be turned off, and they are. But now there is just dead space there in Start, and it can't be used for anything else.

 

[Joe Shades]

This is just my opinion on Win 11.

I run windows 11 Pro atm and have been since the tech preview days, I forced myself to get use to it, now it isn't terrible but it isn't great, The list of things I hate or have issues with are much longer than the things I like about it, thats the short version.

The task bar, oh where do I start, Well The default centering of the task bar icons is nice, especially on a ultra wide, the problem with it though the entire left side of it is useless, like the more windows you have open, the more the icons go to the right rather then spread it out, Also I really do hate the tiny icons of the running tasks down there, especially if you have a lot of windows open of the same program or just the explorer window, I always find my self hovering over it with my mouse to figure out what window is what, where in any other OS I can make them where I can read what windows is what and I can get things done faster without feeling frustrated. You can't change them in Win 11, they are tiny all the time. On and forget about moving the taskbar, thats so in the past......

The start menu, I don't care what anyone thinks, its sucks, Its not nearly as easy or fast to scroll and look for things that the crappy windows search wont find, and its slow sometimes.

The right click menu, I thought I can get use to it, the icons to copy and paste, or the "show more options" buttons to get the standard right click menu, yeah no I can't get use to it, Its so slow and more annoying and more clicks than what you have to do some things.

Oh and the Task Manager, whatever Microsoft did months ago when TaskManger would crash when clicking on the processes tab, its still a problem. it still crashes from time to time, not every time like it use to, of course its a problem they acknowledged but who knows when they will actually fix something that's needed.

So The good anyway, the settings menu is a lot better, still need the old control panel for a lot of stuff still, but it is a good step up from Win 10, The Game bar works better in Win 11, I use it for recording the last 5 min of games and Win 10 it would sometimes cause weird lag in some games like Forza, a game that I'd expect it to work the best in actually.

I had to buy StartAllBack to bring back the functionality with the task bar, I can make the running tasks bigger, I can keep the tasks centered but keep the start menu way over on the left, everything will now use up the space when you have a bunch of open tasks, its nice to see what you are clicking on with a bunch of windows. It also makes the start menu like the windows 7 style, and the search works!!!!!! I also allowed it to make the task bar clear, kind of different, and I can move it to the side, and up top, and all the fancy things that you could of done in previous windows without paid software...

I feel like there's more that I can't think of atm, If I had to reinstall windows, and for productivity work wise, Windows 10 was just out right faster just because of the stupid little interface changes Microsoft wants to force of people, more clicking, more guessing on Win 11, vs Win 10.

There is no way I could use Windows 11 without Startallback

 

[Colif]

if all you want out of 22H2 is graphical changes, it appears you will be happy.

 

[USAFRet]

if all you want out of 22H2 is graphical changes, it appears you will be happy.

If it doesn't make Win 11 look and work exactly the same as Windows 2000, it is useless!

 

[Colif]

There is probably a shell you can use to do that, if you resist change and need to use same set up on every PC. I don't understand it myself, I just go with flow.

 

[USAFRet]

There is probably a shell you can use to do that, if you resist change and need to use same set up on every PC. I don't understand it myself, I just go with flow.

Yes, I was just being obstinate.

Took me a whole day and a half to get used to Win 11. Its not a big deal.
It apparently is for others.

 

[Colif]

i didn't mean you specifically.

I only remember its win 11 when I see start menu

 

[Isaac Zackary]

If it doesn't make Win 11 look and work exactly the same as Windows 2000, it is useless!

Or Windows 3.1!

Anywho, I haven't switched over to Windows 11 yet. The desktop is Windows 10 and my wife's two computers are Windows 10, and I'm afraid I'll get confused between the two. My dad has windows 11 and I was trying to help him snap windows into different sections, which I thought was supposed to easier on Windows 11, but for some reason it wasn't working like on Windows 10 and I couldn't figure it out in the moment.

 

[USAFRet]

Or Windows 3.1!

Anywho, I haven't switched over to Windows 11 yet. The desktop is Windows 10 and my wife's two computers are Windows 10, and I'm afraid I'll get confused between the two. My dad has windows 11 and I was trying to help him snap windows into different sections, which I thought was supposed to easier on Windows 11, but for some reason it wasn't working like on Windows 10 and I couldn't figure it out in the moment.

I have 11 on one system, and 10 on all the others.
Moving back and forth seamlessly.

Hating Win 11 because its different is like hating the 2022 Toyota Camry, because they moved the cup holders.