Setting up your USB: https://x.com/ghost_motley/status/1804950177611927922
Getting the iso file for rufus: https://x.com/ghost_motley/status/1805021483892146249
Register using some Auto-KMS script, something like https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts might work, haven't checked in in a while.
You really don't have to do scorched earth and install linux. Just do a proper install of win 11 enterprise, with Rufus, and a few minutes disabling anything else you don't like. Also, use explorerpatcher https://github.com/valinet/ExplorerPatcher to fix various things like start menu, task bar, etc.
No ads, no Copilot AI, no search using bing, no telemetry, etc. etc. You can safely ignore all the doom and gloom about how windows is getting worse because if you remove all the crap its actually getting better.
Counter point: Linux is good and enjoyable to use, and is worth using for its own merits, not merely as a "scorched Earth" reaction
When you say enjoyable to use, you mean once you’ve fully converted your mindset from other operating systems. I am not on that level and my brief experience boot camping an old mac laptop has further confirmed that. People love Linux here but I struggle to find the benefits when I have to start forum diving for something as simple as downloading a program
you're right that it takes work but there are distros that almost always Just Work and offer a very point and click experience aimed at the recovering windows user. Ubuntu and Fedora are good examples.
Ubuntu was what I tried before! We must have different understandings of what point and click means
fair enough. if you feel like elaborating, what kind of areas did you have difficulty in? was it recently or some time ago?
It was a little while ago, and honestly I'll probably give it another go rather than upgrading to W11, so who knows, maybe I'll be a convert by next year
Downloading and installing programs is literally easier on linux than on windows. It works just like the app stores on phones.
Once you’re comfortable, everything’s easier. The difference is a computer system I’ve used since single digit age and one I haven’t
this is pretty generous to windows. the insanely cynically close EOL for windows 10 (next year) aimed at forcing people to adopt this dogshit is what is finally pushing me to prepare to install linux on my main machine. i would strongly recommend doing that instead. especially considering the crazy hardware requirements for windows 11 there has never been a better time to push people to try linux really.
I do not have a computer that can officially run W11 and W11 is pushing all sorts of AI malware shit anyway so idk what to do. I'm not abandoning my Windows computer, it was free, is only 7 years old, and still mostly meets my gaming needs. I don't need the latest and greatest bloated AAA game. Yeah yeah, "put linux on it it's gotten so much better for playing computer games" but everytime a friend tries they complain about what a pain it is.
i recommend giving it a go at least. honestly these days a lot less shit breaks on user friendly distros like Ubuntu than shit breaks on my windows 10 install which is a constant pain in the ass just to keep stable. when people complain about Linux being a pain I notice they're often letting windows off easy in comparison because they're so conditioned to using it. shit breaks on windows all the time people are just more accustomed to dealing with that. and I understand I'm doing the thing you complained about but if you don't care about AAA there really has never been a better time to switch. with the proliferation of tools like proton a vast amount of games run on Linux out of the box even compared to 5 years ago.
I'm planning on installing Nobara Linux on my main machine when I finish the elden ring DLC and if I like it maybe I'll try to do a write-up on how to get it setup and working nice, the basics of package management etc because this is something I really, really think is worthwhile but I know it's hard without a Linux nerd looking over your shoulder to help and we do need more guides for total newbies.
You know what fair point. A windows 10 update broke my wireless about a year ago. There's a gigantic thread on the Intel forums of people sharing tips on what drivers fix it, run by a former Intel employee, but the fix didn't work on my machine so I use it offline or with Ethernet now.
I may as well find my Windows 10 OEM key and then give Linux a try. Worst case scenario I just reinstall Windows 10. Or, shit, there's 2 drives in this thing, I could dual boot off the 2nd drive.
dual booting is a great median if you're not quite ready to let go of windows, which can be for a number of understandable reasons. i encourage you to give Linux a shot though!
That's what I did with my windows 10 install, but I'm trying Linux first.
Until it updates and decides on its own to reverse all your settings and fuck everything up
In the past 3 years, I think i've only had to occasionally do an update to explorerpatcher; everything else has stayed the same. they don't ever overwrite group policy changes and such.
You can safely ignore all the doom and gloom about how windows is getting worse because if you remove all the crap its actually getting better.
How is it getting better notwithstanding the malware?
Lots of goodies for developers specifically; nice new terminal app, WSL2, occasionally some new stuff in settings.
We have all that stuff in late patch levels of Windows 10, though.
The median Windows user is sort of an Excel mongerer. Developer focused changes don't mean much for most people.
You can safely ignore all the doom and gloom about how windows is getting worse because if you remove all the crap its actually getting better.
"If you remove all the things that make Windows sucks and install third-party software that adds back basic functionality like being able to move the taskbar to the left of the screen, it doesn't actually suck." Like cmon. As we've learned since Windows 8, it's a cat-and-mouse game between em-dollar sign and scrappy debloater enthusiasts where em-dollar sign will constantly shovel more shit into the OS for debloater enthusiasts to take out with their ever-expanding debloater scripts. Eventually, the current generation of debloater enthusiasts burn out and get replaced by the next generation of debloater enthusiasts.
A good alternative to rufus I highly, highly recommend is ventoy, basically you can run a whole bunch of isos as virtual from one usb and select the one you want at boot.
dude ventoy fucks i only discovered it this year and now I have a cracked USB stick with multiple Linux and windows boot options, it's such a useful tool for stuff like disk issues where you need an external boot env to troubleshoot/solve issues on your regular boot drive
Good info to have out there! There's a 0.0% chance of me switching to Windows, but if you're going to run it this is the best way to do it.
Also might want to change the shitter links to xcancel.com or something so that people can see the whole thread without having an account at that torment-nexus-ass website
Would it help if there were a Linux comm for all the Linux posts?
Hey, I updated my images based on this and used one yesterday to help a friend.
Everything went great, thanks for the good post!
Do you still have to install some guys weird shell hack to move the taskbar over to the left side of the screen?
i think theres a native option now; but i still use explorerpatcher for various other improvements.
