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I can't upgrade to Windows 11, now leave me alone

540 points by firefoxd

by linguae

18 subcomments

I miss the days when personal computers were simply tools, akin to pencils and handheld calculators. I remember the days of Macintosh System 7 and Windows 95. No upselling services. No automatic updates. No nagging. You turned your computer on, executed programs, and that was it.
On the Windows side, things started going downhill starting with the Windows XP era, and on the Mac the annoyances began sometime in the mid-2010s.
It seems Microsoft, Apple, and other companies realized that they’re leaving money on the table by not exploiting their platforms. Thus, they’re no longer selling simple tools, but rather they are selling us services.
Yes, there are good Linux distributions that don’t annoy me, and the BSDs never nag me, but the problem with switching to these platforms is that I still need Microsoft Office and other proprietary software tools that are not available outside “Big Tech.” There are other matters that make switching away from Windows and macOS challenging, such as hardware support and laptop battery life.

by Animats

11 subcomments

Why would anyone want to buy a new computer now unless the old one is worn out? There is no price/performance improvement. Nor will there be for the next five years or so. NVidia says to expect 10% price increases each year. DRAM prices have doubled, and Samsung says not to expect price cuts. Micron just exited the retail RAM business.
Microsoft is trying to escape this trap by pivoting to Windows as a subscription service. It will get worse, not better.

by eswat

3 subcomments

Sad to look back years ago when the first mobile apps started adopting this "Remind Me Later"-only dark pattern and is now festering everyday drivers like your OS.
Between these and services that suddenly suffer from amnesia and spamming me with marketing notifications and emails after months or years of silence, it’s becoming more tiring to use any service that grows significantly enough where they don’t need to care about what their users actually want.

by nfriedly

6 subcomments

I used Rufus to make a Windows 11 installer USB drive that bypasses the TPM check and online account setup and a couple of other things. I've been using that along with O&O Shut Up 10++, and Firefox with uBlock Origin to refresh computers for local folks.
With the "requirements" check bypassed, Windows 11 actually runs on the Intel 1st gen Core i-series and newer, as well as any Ryzen CPU and, I think, a couple of earlier AMD generations. (It requires the popcount instruction, which isn't present on the Core 2 and older.)
Anything older gets Windows 10 IoT which gets updates until 2032.

by canyp

5 subcomments

The most egregious thing in recent iterations of Win11 is that a fresh installation will basically map all of your home folder to OneDrive. My Documents, My Pictures, My Music, etc. A recent Windows update also told me that I need OneDrive now to back up my files. Yup, apparently you really, really need it.

by jjaksic

1 subcomments

Linux has made an insane amount of progress in recent years. Atomic distros like Bazzite and Aurora are so polished, modern, easy to use, and virtually unbreakable. Even most Windows games work perfectly out of the box (often better than on Windows). Anyone who tried Linux in the past and wasn't happy, should take another look. These distros are so incredible it's hard to believe.
Meanwhile Windows has been getting worse and worse. Completely unreasonable and unnecessary hardware requirements, spyware, constantly running antivirus and other processes you don't want, forced updates and reboots, shoving AI down your throat. In other words, you pay money to have a worse experience and less control over your own PC.
I've been ideologically opposed to Windows for a while, but a few years ago Linux required many trade-offs and compromises, to the point I wouldn't have recommended to most people. But now things are completely different and I would happily recommend it to anyone except those who have a hard requirement for MS software (or Adobe).

by mastazi

1 subcomments

For many types of users, Windows is no longer viable. I have friends who work at a .NET shop and most of that team now uses Macs. Unthinkable just a few years ago. Meanwhile, I checked ProtonDB and now 90% of my Steam library is Platinum or Native. So I finally switched my gaming PC to Linux. Microsoft's priorities are elsewhere, Windows doesn't have a bright future.

by prmoustache

8 subcomments

In late 2025, there are plenty of alternatives:
Linux FreeBSD NetBSD OpenBSD DragonflyBSD Haiku Plan9 Redox ReactOS Debian Gnu/Hurd FreeDOS Genode SculptOS
And probably some others I haven't heard of. Using Windows in 2025 AND complaining about it is complaining about a self inflicted wound.

by beached_whale

1 subcomments

Microsoft with the push to require TPM 2.0, that isn't really required, is responsible for huge amounts of new e-waste. Any green initiative they claim is out the door.

by kosma

3 subcomments

Surprisingly effective solution:

  Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
  
  [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate]
  "ProductVersion"="Windows 10"
  "TargetReleaseVersion"=dword:00000001
  "TargetReleaseVersionInfo"="22H2"

by petcat

5 subcomments

> at this point a Windows machine only belongs to you in name. Microsoft can run arbitrary code on it.
I get what the author is trying to say, but...like... obviously?

by gmponyo

0 subcomment

Do yourself a favor and start using Linux on both machines.

by CommenterPerson

2 subcomments

I ordered a basic Windows laptop, it comes with Windows 11. It's going to be my Linux starter computer. I'm not a computer person. Wish me luck!

by drnick1

3 subcomments

The Penguin is calling.

by throwaway613745

1 subcomments

Ultimately, I didn't switch to Linux because I wanted to. I switched to Linux because Microsoft became so actively hostile to me I felt like I didn't have any other choice.
No Microsoft, I'm not buying new hardware just to get the new OS. No, I'm not going to let you nag me every single day until I get pissed off enough to. No, I will not tolerate all the little things in your OS that piss me off everyday. Your software sucks. Your filesystem sucks. Your constant nagging sucks. I don't want your cloud TPM security bullshit and I DEFINITELY don't want Copilot or Recall.
Seriously Microsoft: fuck you.
Giving up being able to play certain games - which require me to install malware into my computer anyway - is a small price to pay to have my sanity and freedom back. I own my computer, not you. Goodbye and good riddance.
I already used MacOS and Linux for work anyway. But don't worry Apple, you're riding that line pretty dangerously too - you're gonna be next on the chopping block if you don't get your act together. Framework Desktop is looking like a mighty capable replacement for my Mac Studio.

by damion6

3 subcomments

Use Rufus it'll disable hardware requirements, without hassle. You will need an iso. If you know someone with 11 have them download it. Otherwise download the generic.

by hoherd

0 subcomment

A few days ago I started up an old Windows 10 laptop that I haven't used in a few years so my son could play a game that I haven't taken the time to set up in proton on linux. I was amazed at how much the Windows OS experience seems like an unhealthy relationship where the OS is trying to manipulate you and control you. It feels like it's not even my computer, it's a Microsoft owned kiosk that I'm allowed to partially use.
Another really remarkable thing is how cloud connected it is. For instance, the lock screen had online feeds shown. The setting to disable them is on a remote website, not in the screensaver prefs or some other local system pref. That was astonishing, and IMHO absurd. If it hadn't been clear to me before, that made it crystal clear that what MS wants the OS to be and what I want the OS of my personal computer to be are not remotely the same thing.

by manmal

0 subcomment

Our kids‘ school received some old surface laptops for free through some initiative. I‘ve been tasked to take care of them. And of course, WiFi mysteriously stopped working for all of them, after ca 1 week of use.
It turns out that a recent Win11 update bricked the network adapter. After some digging, it is this problem: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/4378104/...
I‘ve tried:
- Uninstalling the update and disabling updates for 5 weeks. But Windows just decided to reinstall the update after 2 days. Bricked again.
- Disabling fast start. This reactivated itself the next day.
- What finally worked, was disabling hibernation entirely.

by markus_zhang

2 subcomments

There must be a way to disable this thing. Maybe we can disable the service? But anyway I already switched to Linux for my daily usage. It is not smooth as Windows due to driver issues and other weird things, like Firefox crashing frequently when I’m typing in a text box like this one, but still feels better than Windows.
The Windows team and its product manager is determined to trash the product. Good work!

by coopykins

0 subcomment

The only reason I keep my home PC with windows still is that I use it mainly to play games and some have anti-cheat systems that are not compatible with Linux. But I play those games less and less the older I get, I play mostly older games / emulators. I see it very likely that I won't install whatever comes after Windows 11 and at that point I might move over to Linux for good.

by andrewstuart

2 subcomments

Satya Nadella really nosedived Windows.

by Melatonic

0 subcomment

Switch to Win10 LTSC iOT if you want to keep getting security updates for many years
Bonus is it strips out all the crap and is super fast
Downside is a few specific pieces of software refuse to install (for no good technical reason). Adobe Photoshop for example
There is also win11 LTSC iOT which I believe might actually install on older hardware that normal win11 will not (don't quote me on this)

by EmptyCoffeeCup

0 subcomment

The "Yes or Maybe Later" dialogue boxes that festoon the internet & Windows 11 need to end - time for another law imo:
"No" must always be an option, and notices must not be shown again if this is selected.

by garyfirestorm

1 subcomments

And it’s not just TPM. I have tpm module however they don’t support my Intel 7700K processor.

by wkat4242

0 subcomment

Just grab LTSC, it gets security updates till 2032. It's great! Also less bloat.

by j1elo

1 subcomments

Adding to the enshittified pile of bad decissions that Windows has become, the actual requirements for Windows 11 are just a corporate caprice and not a real "requirement". I did whatever it needed to bypass the checks at install time, and W11 is now working exactly and equally as well as W10 was, on a laptop which only has TPM 1.2 and an old CPU.
Where is the requirement then in modern CPUs and TPM 2.0, Microsoft? Didn't you mean "nice to have" so additional but perfectly optional security features could be enabled?

by indubioprorubik

0 subcomment

Microsoft making advertisements for https://store.steampowered.com/steamos ?

by sam_goody

0 subcomment

In Win 11 Home, and want to add a local account and not change it to a Windows account, and not share my stuff with MS. No Cloud or "Backups", thank you.
The option to enable a local account was through the command line only. The dark patterns and persausion to convince me not to was off putting.
But every time I boot in to have to go through the nag screen is off the wall.
It is truly crazy how much I understand the dedication people have to avoid using a unfamiliar system.

by eviks

0 subcomment

These nags are very disrespectful indeed and widespread, Apple also sometimes has undissmissable iOS upgrade label (liquid glass, leave me alone!)
Though you can bypass tpm requirements if you want to upgrade to win11, and also can switch to ltsc Win10 version for a few more years of support

by labrador

5 subcomments

I'm happy with Windows 11 after tweaks to fix it. I certainly sympathesize with Windows 10 users who can't upgrade. But it seems to me Windows 10 users aren't getting the message: Microsoft just isn't that into you.
Do you think Windows OS is a profit center, especially after factoring in the cost of security fixes for older less secure releases? I'm guessing not (I don't have the figures) and Microsoft would rather you replace your 10 year old laptop that can't run Windows 11 or run Linux on it. They really don't care which, just as long as you go away and they don't have to support you anymore.
I'm not assosciated with Microsoft, just someone who has been using their products for 40 years. I am someone who can read in between the lines, and this is my take.

by notorandit

0 subcomment

I switched to Linux (Slackware, Gentoo, Kubuntu, Arch Linux) some 22 years ago. It has been a pain and sometimes I still get issues.
But I am grateful my PC basically does whatever I ask it to.
A desktop PC lasted 10 years before dying. A laptop another 6 years. No NAGs, no service subscription.
And no ads from software (browser sometimes excluded), no nothing.
I could still install it on a very old machine, with some extra work needed, I could still use less than 1GB RAM.
So I am grateful, despite some extra work is sometimes needed. Nothing is really free. It's a matter of tradeoffs.

by masfoobar

0 subcomment

They keep reminding you so you end up buying a new PC with Windows 11. That's all it is. No extra code logic is needed. Just keep pestering the end user with a popup. They don't care for any variations.
The goal is to get everyone on Windows 11.
This is not 1998 or even 2008. Times have slowly and "progressively" moved on. Truth is you NEVER OWNED a copy of Windows. You always purchased the rights to USE it. Now that technology has improved especially the internet Microsoft have tried to gain more control over YOUR computer.
Look at Nintendo and their Switch 2. In their world you do not own it. If they think you are doing something "you shouldn't" they will brick it! Sure, I am not suggesting Microsoft does this with Windows but I am 100% certain this type of tactics has been discussed in high-end meetings. The key here is CONTROL.
Today - if Microsoft want to push a program and "encourage" you to use it.. they will install it without any form of consent. Sorry, but if I OWN a computer then I want control with the software installed, including an Operating System. Microsoft has always been a huge '??' in this field and, to me, it is getting worse. I am not even talking about government involvement with the big techs, either.
Copilot -- I dont care.
This rumour (is it a rumour) that Windows takes photos of your screen every so oftern... NO THANK YOU!
I might have to continue using Windows (11) in my job, being given a work laptop, etc. At the end of the day I do not care as its not my laptop and decisions are taken outside my control by specific IT departments. Whatever. At home I am 100% GNU/Linux. It is sooo much faster and programs loads in <1.5 seconds compared to 5-20 seconds on Windows 11.
My biggest concern is the future of GNU and Linux. Well, the Linux kernel more so especially when Linus hangs up his keyboard. Hopefully the next guy in charge cares about our Freedoms. Honestly I imagine an alternative world where a corporations takes control. The beauty, thanks to the GPL, is people can branch off an continue their own. Sadly... GNU/Linux MIGHT get infiltrated one day and most of that will be people NOT caring about our FREEDOM. This, in my opinion, is all dependent on the future generations.

by ChrisSD

2 subcomments

It's beside the point of the article but...
> The hardware limitation is specifically TPM 2.0
Almost every even half decent CPU made in the last decade does have TPM 2.0, albeit for some strange reason OEMs used to ship with it disabled. You may be able to turn it on in the bios.

by self_awareness

0 subcomment

> I also paid for a pro version of the OS.
Yep. And you got what you've paid for.
Look at it. This is "pro" now.

by jokoon

0 subcomment

I suspect there are cybersecurity stakes regarding win11 and win10, but I am not entirely sure.
I think that the spectre mitigation are not a problem in win11 because win11 is not supported on CPU that are vulnerable, which might be a reason they encourage people to get win11 and get a new PC, but that's an unverified guess, I am just trying to get them the benefit of the doubt.
SteamOS looks like it might take a lot of the windows cake, but it remains to be seen if they will be able to.
So far it doesn't look like SteamOS supports most of PC hardware out there, but it could be a next step for Valve.

by YY3427394872

3 subcomments

I wonder how hard would it be to just switch back to Windows 7 for these kinds of cases? Obviously the most ideal solution is to use Linux but there's still some edge cases where Windows is needed or is just preferred. If you install Windows 7 in a VM you'll be blown away by having a simple, clean OS that just runs applications and doesn't shove ads or Bing search into the start menu. And obviously it would be vulnerable to software exploits but if the device is mostly kept offline I can't see many issues with that coming up. Something to think about...

by spencerflem

4 subcomments

I love the phrase I heard recently: “software developers don’t understand consent”
It describes so much

by stevenjgarner

0 subcomment

Microsoft users are the product being sold

by mouselett

0 subcomment

I had the same frustrations recently with my MacBook Pro, with macOS constantly telling me about Tahoe despite OCLP--which I used to patch my unsupported Mac to Sonoma--currently not supporting that version of macOS. These notifications aren't able to be disabled, just like in Windows--trust me, I tried to do that. They irritated me so much, that I've actually taken to installing Ubuntu on the Mac just so I can avoid seeing them.

by Walf

0 subcomment

>The terms and conditions are simple. Every time you perform any network access, you have to send a copy of the payload and response back to my server. Either that, or you're in breach of my terms.
That's not how contracts work, at all. MS hasn't bought anything from him, nor was he able to require them to agree to anything in order for him to install the OS.

by prinny_

0 subcomment

I can only hope that this degradation of UX will make more people switch or consider switching to other distributions. It's the only thing that will make microsoft listen.

by lhaussknecht

1 subcomments

Picked up a Framework 13 for my daughter for Xmas. She’s a politics student, so she needs a solid keyboard. I hate installing Windows on this hardware, but she absolutely relies on Office and Citavi. Plus, proficiency in Windows is a standard requirement in her field. Maybe she'll discover Linux eventually!

by tw600040

3 subcomments

Need a suggestion, and thought might as well ask here. I use a Mac now. Last windows was more than 15 years ago and now I want to try Linux. which version would you recommend? should I go with Ubuntu or Debian or Mint or something else? I am not a tinkerer. I want something that just works, on the lines of a Mac.

by ethin

0 subcomment

I would happily switch to Linux, problem is it doesn't support the audio hardware I have. And although I've tried to figure out how the drivers get it working on Windows, I can't separate the wheat from the chaff in the 500+ USB packet dump Wireshark gives me :-( Otherwise I'd dump Windows and throw NixOS on this thing and stripe my two NVMes.

by smj-edison

4 subcomments

Is it possible to switch an existing windows 10 install to the extended support version? (Can't remember the exact term).

by its-summertime

0 subcomment

I don't know how many years/months/days/hours the author is going to continue using Windows for, but this seems like a perfect task to be "resolved" by AHK, which is probably in the top 10 things Windows users have access to. Worth trying, at least before switching to another source of operating system.

by 1970-01-01

2 subcomments

I've been running Win11 without a TPM for 6 years. Saying you can't upgrade isn't the same thing as Windows saying you can't upgrade. Knowing your OS seems to be a lost art. I'm not dismissing the valid complaint, but the title is empirically wrong clickbait.

0 subcomment

by TekMol

0 subcomment

Linux

by AndyKelley

0 subcomment

2026 will be Year of the Linux Desktop, at least for Mr. Diallo!

by Fairburn

0 subcomment

Block updates, remove bloat via PS scripts. Done.

by Dwedit

0 subcomment

Rufus will let you install with a local account even on PCs that don't support TPM, but would you really want to?

0 subcomment

by rldjbpin

0 subcomment

looking at the author's photo in the OP, appears that they own a Surface. if that is the device referred to in the post, it is quite interesting to see that not supporting win 11.

by maxglute

0 subcomment

Just give me a side taskbar pls.

by russfink

1 subcomments

Ten years old laptop? Pretty sure it has a TPM 2.0 on it.

by jasonvorhe

2 subcomments

> It's one thing to be at the forefront of enshittification, but Microsoft is now actively hostile to its users.
Haven't lived under a rock until now must be relaxing.
I really hope this mess will lead to a significant uptick in Linux usage though. That would be a great effect. Unfortunately, most people will either adapt or go with macOS and be in a similar spot in a few years.

by bullen

3 subcomments

My old 6600 from 2016 is still running fine, I replaced the SSD (Intel 400GB to X25-E 64GB that will last 20 years minimum), the RAM (Micron to Samsung from aliexpress before the price hike... got 8 sticks of 16GB for $40 a pop for backup) and even the old trusty monitor (Both Eizo 5:4 matte VA; mercury tube to led, with f.lux/redshift the blue light is ok).
But with a 3050 upgrade from the 1050 and later 1030 (best GPU for eternity if you discount VR) I had in it it's good for another decade. If a game comes out that does not run on it I wont play it... simple as that... 150W is enough. So far only PUBG stutters, what a joke of bloat and poor engineering that game has become...
Win 10 improved NOTHING over 7. Win 11 improves NOTHING over 10.
YMMV but recommendation is still: do not buy new X86 hardware; do not use new OS/languages.
Build something good with what you have right now.
Make it so good it's still in use after 100 years.

by inatreecrown2

0 subcomment

well and clearly written, and I feel the same about windows. to the author: maybe it is us that should leave windows alone.

by yoan9224

1 subcomments

The TPM 2.0 "requirement" is mostly artificial - you can bypass it with Rufus and Windows 11 runs fine on older hardware. But that misses the point.
Microsoft is using aggressive dark patterns (undismissable upgrade prompts) to force hardware obsolescence and create e-waste. This isn't about security - it's about maintaining the upgrade treadmill when performance improvements have stalled.
The real issue is consent. Users should be able to say "no" once and have that decision respected. Instead, we get daily nagging designed to exhaust users into compliance. This is the opposite of user-centric design.
Time to consider Linux seriously, or at least Windows 10 LTSC IoT which has support until 2032.

by jongjong

0 subcomment

I switched to Linux about 10 years ago... I used to keep a partition on the side for Windows for dual-boot... But nowadays I just wipe my drive clean!
With my latest computer, I noticed that some kind of boot protection was added in the BIOS which made it harder to install Linux from USB... I had to disable the safety mechanism in the bios before it would let me boot... It's a shame because, at a glance, I actually thought the Windows UI had improved since the last version a few years ago which was appalling...
But yeah I hate Windows' coercive approach. This is why I was never an Apple fan. I hate how Apple keeps trying to hide the underlying hardware like the file system and external (non-Apple) devices.
These companies are basically PsyOps in my view. There are many better free (open source) alternatives available where you actually own the OS. I don't understand how people can stand renting inferior software for 10x the price as owning a better alternative.
It's like if I offered people to rent a Ford car for $20k per year or get a free Mercedes Benz, and 90% choose to rent the Ford because it feels familiar and their friends also rent a Ford... What is wrong with people?
There is something seriously wrong with people. It's like someone (or something) hypnotized them. Are we sure we don't have ASI controlling people? This is not normal.
This is like; what kinds of people are trying to accumulate fiat money nowadays? There's nothing behind it. It's just digits inside a bunch of different databases without any consensus between them and where the government can create unlimited digits for free. Something wrong with people.

0 subcomment

by phacker007

0 subcomment

Use Linux hehehehe

by zeppelin101

0 subcomment

Just go with LTSC

by stuckkeys

0 subcomment

I been using windows 11 Enterprise for home use. No bloatware.

by Nursie

0 subcomment

I upgraded to windows 11 as soon as it was offered. Even went out and bought a tpm addon for my motherboard - not that I needed one 100% but activating the onboard one on Zen 3 at the time was thought to cause stuttering…
Anyway, why would I do that?
Well, I got windows free at some point, a lot of years ago, and I am happy enough to jump through a few hoops to keep that going. I don’t use it day to day, I’m not sure why anyone would. I use MacOS and Linux as daily drivers.
But once in a while there’s a game I want to play that’s not that Linux-friendly, and there’s windows up to date and supported, without MS getting another cent out of me since about 2009. What’s not to like?

by silexia

1 subcomments

I have this problem too, Microsoft is a terrible corrupt organization now without Bill Gates.

by prmoustache

0 subcomment

Just use something else and stop whining.

by lloydatkinson

1 subcomments

I get the sentiment but I find it frustrating when people write complaints like this when they know Rufus boot exists which disables TPM and online only accounts during the install.

by AtlasBarfed

1 subcomments

Wasnt there a Google cross app logging framework and request tracking project 15 years ago?
Did grafana die when I wasn't looking? Does datadog still make money?
What's weird about this article is that it's the same thing being said 20 years ago. Is this a sign of people not learning from the better parts of Java deployment stacks?

by mistercheph

0 subcomment

Use Linux

by matltc

0 subcomment

That's what you get for running Microsloth Windoze
Seriously though, don't get why anyone would voluntarily use, let alone purchase, any windows distro.

by rspoerri

1 subcomments

disable tpm in the bios

by greatgib

0 subcomment

This popup just tells you to switch to another OS, more respective of you as an user...

by hilbert42

0 subcomment

The fucking hide of Microsoft, we need a class action to sue them for harassment.

by hilbert42

0 subcomment

Fucking hide of Microsoft, we need a class action to sue them for harassment.

by tracker1

0 subcomment

Yet another reason I'm more than happy I switched my personal desktop use to Linux a few years ago now... After a decade of running Insiders, literally the first time I saw an ad on the Start menu search results, I was out. MS has only been increasingly hostile to users since.
Fortunately o265 web versions are pretty capable, including Teams, and most of the development work I've done is not specifically tied to Windows, and even where it is hasn't been too bad in actual business/enterprise environments (beyond typical corporate/govt hinderances). That said, I like what WSL brings to the table.

by dangus

0 subcomment

Windows 11 came out FOUR YEARS AGO. It’s time to let this subject die.
They’re harassing you because in not too many years, connecting your computer to the internet on their OS will be dangerous. They’re trying to save you from yourself.
And, quite reasonably, they don’t want to patch an OS that debuted 10 years ago so that it supports your hardware that’s even older than 10 years old.
It’s time to get over it. You’re using a commercial OS that you likely haven’t even paid for since Windows 7 debuted 20 years ago and that vendor needs you to at least upgrade to a still-pretty-shitty-and-old used laptop to remain compatible.
You’re free to switch to something else like Linux and, frankly, if you’re at the point of writing redundant blog posts of the same subject we’ve heard all about for the last 4 years, you definitely should. I did! And pretty much all of my Windows stuff runs on Linux effortlessly including and especially games.
Or you can disconnect from the Internet and kill the nags with some group policy stuff. As a bonus, being disconnected from the internet will stop these blog posts.