One “simple trick” and your next Windows install will be blissfully free of bloatware.
Basically, install Windows as you normally would, but when asked for Time and Currency format, select English (World) instead of your country.
Then let the installer do its thing. Eventually, you will see a window with an ice cream cone on the floor with the words “Something went wrong” and the error message “OOBEREGION.” This cryptic message means that the “out of box experience” (OOBE) didn’t launch because it didn’t know which region to launch.
Click Skip, though, and Windows will install just fine. You won’t be prompted to buy Microsoft 365, you won’t be prompted to pay for a OneDrive subscription, and your Start menu won’t be cluttered with apps.
Reminds me of the PC Master Race people that comment on Console related posts. Like, cool we get that you’re insecure about your platform of choice, we don’t need to be reminded.
This is gonna be a very simple patch for Microsoft to eliminate
Consider permanent solutions such as automated scripts (learn how to read scripts or ask the ai overlords to do it for you and verify)
But if you’re reeeally over windows shit it’s a good time to consider swapping OS or even doing a dual boot with a steam os just for gaming but dual boots with windows can get hairy and you run the risk of getting fawked up
It has been ages since I installed Windows 11. Does it require (as in, you can’t continue without) an internet connection be enabled at an earlier stage in the installation process?
If not, then MS can patch all they want, if you have the installer on a USB drive already, they can’t force you to update it and the installer won’t fetch a patched OOBE installer with the internet disabled.
Have you tried with the newest version of powershell (whatever they’re calling it now) think you still have to go out and download it but I’m not sure.
I think it is still called PowerShell, but to differentiate the installation source, Microsoft seem to be referring to the cross-platform version you can download from GitHub or via WinGet as PowerShell Core and the version that ships with Windows as Windows PowerShell
Not quite what I’m referencing, but yeah there are two versions of powershell in this sense, I’m just talking about the latest version (7.X), windows only comes with 5.X AFAIK, but 7 has some cool new features and what not. Wasn’t sure if the 7.x reincorporated/added whatever way it might be worded to mean “working again in”
I’m of the opinion that MS will eventually get this right, but it won’t be called Windows 11 by the time it does. The redesign, efforts into command-line and WSL, they are moving in a positive direction, but the ads, bloat, spyware, needs to go. If they can release Win12 or whatever its called with the simplicity of Win11, have the features of Win10 (and finally put a nail in the old interfaces from XP and before), they could have another solid performer like Windows 7.
they are moving in a positive direction, but the ads, bloat, spyware, needs to go
They’re going nowhere. It’s making money, Microsoft is using that income to offset development cost instead of just selling the OS at a flat reasonable rate. It’s part of the Windows business model now.
Windows is entrenched, they own most of the business world, they will never face serious kickback for their design decisions. Not at this point. Not until Gen Z gets old enough and numerous enough to start pushing workplaces to adopt Apple, and that’s an even worse direction.
This isn’t ever going to change. The only thing they’ll do is give tools to Enterprise editions for businesses to control the install, and only via Azure, at a price point far too high for the average user. Anything less than Enterprise will be locked down and monetized to hell and back.
Effectively, if you’re not a business, you will not have true control over Windows. Users no longer get to be admins. You have to pay for that privilege.
It also talks about just setting your region again after the install to get the windows store working again. Most of the other bloat still stays away though.
I would rather go for Linux but when Windows needed I’d go for LTSB/LTSC version, choose this oobe during install, after install run christitustech debloat script, activate through github script and in register turn off auto download/install updates. 1.4GB ram idle usage while having all you need.
the irony is that the only reason ever for “Windows needed” is because some obnoxious asshole decided they want to force others to use Windows. There’s literally nothing that Windows can do better. There is only a quasi monopoly and probably bribes to companies to release no builds for other platforms (e.g. for games).
Sure, games. Proton/wine came a long ways but it’s far from perfect or has the same depth of software as native windows. Also potentially having to mess with lutris can be annoying. Graphics drivers are also better on windows too. If you’d like to try to argue this just look at protondb. Is it a 100% compatible with every title? No? Hmmm…
Not to mention proton triggering some games anti cheats.
It’s also why there are several memes including the one posted just yesterday or the day before about “cheating” on Linux with windows for gaming. Plus the whole standard advice ive seen on Lemmy being “Linux for daily driving, windows partition for gaming.” Now again, why would that be the standard advice?
https://lemmy.world/post/5834366
^—thread in question where Linux gamers commiserate their difficulties getting certain games to run on their Linux systems.
Linux is fine, windows is okay if you disable the telemetry, just use what ever os and software you want but it’s really silly to make false claims.
That’s not something Windows can do better. That’s developers targeting a release only for Windows. Which is exactly the point I made in my original comment that you responded to. Games that have a native release (and even wine, sometimes) typically run faster on a Linux machine than on Windows, because there’s less OS garbage overhead.
Graphics drivers are also better on windows too.
The only graphics drivers that are “better” are those for new cards when the manufacturer - again - targeted the windows platform.
The whole philosophy of device drivers is unfathomably better on Linux, because it works with chipset drivers and doesn’t give a shit about which vendor a specific chipset came from, as long as the API is compatible. Also, almost everything that’s not brand new hardware works out of the box on a vanilla install of e.g. debian (and definitely Linux Mint) whereas on Windows have fun installing drivers that come with tons of crapware.
As you said yourself: it’s silly to make false claims. Just because some hardware vendors choose to build hardware for which they tailor drivers to windows, that’s not a virtue or merit of windows, that’s an abuse of monopoly if anything.
A vendor could also release a new graphics card with an internal electronic black box, release a linux driver and then say “haha, look, Windows can’t support that”. Except that with Linux, at some point, someone will decode the interface and get a working driver in a release somewhere.
You can make up all the reasons you want, the end result is the same. People use windows because the product works better and more reliably. If you want to split hairs be my guest but every metric windows wins against Linux in gaming. It has a higher user base, more software, better support, and as you said even entire businesses developing stuff for it because businesses go where the customers are. Sure you can say “oh they just greased some palms”, but if you knew anything about the gaming world that doesn’t mean jack shit if your games and hardware sucks. The graveyard of failed hardware and software prove that. As much as I love steam and I’m glad the steam deck is having success every other Linux based hardware attempt they’ve come up with has failed hard like their console and steam link. And what’s your point about some games running better? Some games run worse too, beyond the fact your statement admits not every game runs better, how does that make Linux superior? Your example about companies also doesn’t disprove anything because a company can do that…but hasn’t in the entire 40+ years of Linux existence…curious isn’t it? Also you can program driver’s for windows too for devices lol, how else do you think people tinker with stuff? I mean I’m using a PS3 eye as a webcam on my Windows PC rn with custom community made drivers just like Linux does …
I exactly do this. It switches every services to manual and turn off so many notification bloat. After doing this windows never bothers me. Every app , games, hardware like capture card just works on windows.
But i use linux on my laptop because linux is good for browsing and wordprocessing.
Pop!OS is becoming more and more out of date and problematic. Honestly Fedora is the only version of Linux worth using these days (there’s some gamer variant of it I can never remember that’s probably fine too).
It is? Hmm I’ve not had a single issue with it in years. It gets regular updates, granted it’s not on the current Ubuntu version, but out of date it is not. What problems does it have?
Use what you want, but making the declaration that Fedora is the distro to go with is a stretch.
I mean sure I guess? I don’t know what you’re running where that happens a lot, but everything I have on my system has been as easy or easier to install as Windows.
Joking and snark aside, Linux can be as difficult or as easy to use as you want it to be.
You are not logged in. However you can subscribe from another Fediverse account, for example Lemmy or Mastodon. To do this, paste the following into the search field of your instance: !technology@lemmy.world
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
How do I install my Game Pass games?
How has it been like 20 years since Slashdot was relevant, and we’re still getting the same, “LOL install Linux instead” comments?
Like, I’ve been using and loving Linux since the late '90. But damn, I’m expecting to see “Micro$oft” in these comments any moment.
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Reminds me of the PC Master Race people that comment on Console related posts. Like, cool we get that you’re insecure about your platform of choice, we don’t need to be reminded.
Look for Tiny10 and Tiny11 versions.
What’s that?
A barebones stripped down version of windows. Basically the smallest install possible to run windows. I use it on my Mac to virtualize windows.
This is gonna be a very simple patch for Microsoft to eliminate
Consider permanent solutions such as automated scripts (learn how to read scripts or ask the ai overlords to do it for you and verify)
But if you’re reeeally over windows shit it’s a good time to consider swapping OS or even doing a dual boot with a steam os just for gaming but dual boots with windows can get hairy and you run the risk of getting fawked up
It has been ages since I installed Windows 11. Does it require (as in, you can’t continue without) an internet connection be enabled at an earlier stage in the installation process?
If not, then MS can patch all they want, if you have the installer on a USB drive already, they can’t force you to update it and the installer won’t fetch a patched OOBE installer with the internet disabled.
Yeah, you’ve got a point here. You do still have to use the older version of the installer but that can be pretty trivial, good point!
Rufus can bypass all that crap and you get to install on unsupported hardware as well.
The stuff Rufus doesn’t block is the everything horrific. It’s great at removing/side-stepping the annoying and does nothing to remove the excrement.
I do like rufus though.
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post a link to your script somewhere
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Got a GitHub link fren?
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Have you tried with the newest version of powershell (whatever they’re calling it now) think you still have to go out and download it but I’m not sure.
Thanks for the direct info share!
I think it is still called PowerShell, but to differentiate the installation source, Microsoft seem to be referring to the cross-platform version you can download from GitHub or via WinGet as
PowerShell Coreand the version that ships with Windows asWindows PowerShellNot quite what I’m referencing, but yeah there are two versions of powershell in this sense, I’m just talking about the latest version (7.X), windows only comes with 5.X AFAIK, but 7 has some cool new features and what not. Wasn’t sure if the 7.x reincorporated/added whatever way it might be worded to mean “working again in”
I should’ve clarified that in the original, my b
I choose antartica as region, and appers to be the same
According to the article, “The only downside is that the Windows Store appears not to work out of the box.”
I’m of the opinion that MS will eventually get this right, but it won’t be called Windows 11 by the time it does. The redesign, efforts into command-line and WSL, they are moving in a positive direction, but the ads, bloat, spyware, needs to go. If they can release Win12 or whatever its called with the simplicity of Win11, have the features of Win10 (and finally put a nail in the old interfaces from XP and before), they could have another solid performer like Windows 7.
They’re going nowhere. It’s making money, Microsoft is using that income to offset development cost instead of just selling the OS at a flat reasonable rate. It’s part of the Windows business model now.
Windows is entrenched, they own most of the business world, they will never face serious kickback for their design decisions. Not at this point. Not until Gen Z gets old enough and numerous enough to start pushing workplaces to adopt Apple, and that’s an even worse direction.
This isn’t ever going to change. The only thing they’ll do is give tools to Enterprise editions for businesses to control the install, and only via Azure, at a price point far too high for the average user. Anything less than Enterprise will be locked down and monetized to hell and back.
Effectively, if you’re not a business, you will not have true control over Windows. Users no longer get to be admins. You have to pay for that privilege.
Elder millennial here. This was said of us, too. I remember main framers sometimes noting this direction and poking fun.
Yet here I am and the world keeps chugging along in similar ways.
It also talks about just setting your region again after the install to get the windows store working again. Most of the other bloat still stays away though.
Microsoft is a “New Oil” drilling company. Expect the Enron like approach
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I would rather go for Linux but when Windows needed I’d go for LTSB/LTSC version, choose this oobe during install, after install run christitustech debloat script, activate through github script and in register turn off auto download/install updates. 1.4GB ram idle usage while having all you need.
the irony is that the only reason ever for “Windows needed” is because some obnoxious asshole decided they want to force others to use Windows. There’s literally nothing that Windows can do better. There is only a quasi monopoly and probably bribes to companies to release no builds for other platforms (e.g. for games).
I agree.
ive heard this for years and i always laugh, “there is nothing windows does that linux doesn’t!” yeah, totally man.
name one thing. Besides bluescreens.
Sure, games. Proton/wine came a long ways but it’s far from perfect or has the same depth of software as native windows. Also potentially having to mess with lutris can be annoying. Graphics drivers are also better on windows too. If you’d like to try to argue this just look at protondb. Is it a 100% compatible with every title? No? Hmmm… Not to mention proton triggering some games anti cheats.
It’s also why there are several memes including the one posted just yesterday or the day before about “cheating” on Linux with windows for gaming. Plus the whole standard advice ive seen on Lemmy being “Linux for daily driving, windows partition for gaming.” Now again, why would that be the standard advice? https://lemmy.world/post/5834366
^—thread in question where Linux gamers commiserate their difficulties getting certain games to run on their Linux systems.
Linux is fine, windows is okay if you disable the telemetry, just use what ever os and software you want but it’s really silly to make false claims.
That’s not something Windows can do better. That’s developers targeting a release only for Windows. Which is exactly the point I made in my original comment that you responded to. Games that have a native release (and even wine, sometimes) typically run faster on a Linux machine than on Windows, because there’s less OS garbage overhead.
The only graphics drivers that are “better” are those for new cards when the manufacturer - again - targeted the windows platform.
The whole philosophy of device drivers is unfathomably better on Linux, because it works with chipset drivers and doesn’t give a shit about which vendor a specific chipset came from, as long as the API is compatible. Also, almost everything that’s not brand new hardware works out of the box on a vanilla install of e.g. debian (and definitely Linux Mint) whereas on Windows have fun installing drivers that come with tons of crapware.
As you said yourself: it’s silly to make false claims. Just because some hardware vendors choose to build hardware for which they tailor drivers to windows, that’s not a virtue or merit of windows, that’s an abuse of monopoly if anything.
A vendor could also release a new graphics card with an internal electronic black box, release a linux driver and then say “haha, look, Windows can’t support that”. Except that with Linux, at some point, someone will decode the interface and get a working driver in a release somewhere.
You can make up all the reasons you want, the end result is the same. People use windows because the product works better and more reliably. If you want to split hairs be my guest but every metric windows wins against Linux in gaming. It has a higher user base, more software, better support, and as you said even entire businesses developing stuff for it because businesses go where the customers are. Sure you can say “oh they just greased some palms”, but if you knew anything about the gaming world that doesn’t mean jack shit if your games and hardware sucks. The graveyard of failed hardware and software prove that. As much as I love steam and I’m glad the steam deck is having success every other Linux based hardware attempt they’ve come up with has failed hard like their console and steam link. And what’s your point about some games running better? Some games run worse too, beyond the fact your statement admits not every game runs better, how does that make Linux superior? Your example about companies also doesn’t disprove anything because a company can do that…but hasn’t in the entire 40+ years of Linux existence…curious isn’t it? Also you can program driver’s for windows too for devices lol, how else do you think people tinker with stuff? I mean I’m using a PS3 eye as a webcam on my Windows PC rn with custom community made drivers just like Linux does …
You missed the point completely & argue against straw mans.
That is still comically high. Arch Linux with DWM gets 100 mb, I’ve seen gentoo builds with DWM get as low as 40 mb.
KDE looks better than windows and it gets a third of the ram idle usage at most.
I exactly do this. It switches every services to manual and turn off so many notification bloat. After doing this windows never bothers me. Every app , games, hardware like capture card just works on windows.
But i use linux on my laptop because linux is good for browsing and wordprocessing.
> Clean Install
> Windows 11
Download Rufus.
Download Pop! OS
Create USB installer.
Install Pop! OS
There you go.
Pop!OS is becoming more and more out of date and problematic. Honestly Fedora is the only version of Linux worth using these days (there’s some gamer variant of it I can never remember that’s probably fine too).
The gamer variant you’re talking about is Nobara.
Which is pretty good.
I switched to it about a month ago, reminds me of what Ubuntu used to be with its easy to use-ness
It is? Hmm I’ve not had a single issue with it in years. It gets regular updates, granted it’s not on the current Ubuntu version, but out of date it is not. What problems does it have?
Use what you want, but making the declaration that Fedora is the distro to go with is a stretch.
insert specific versions of missing dependencies here for whatever program you try to run
I mean sure I guess? I don’t know what you’re running where that happens a lot, but everything I have on my system has been as easy or easier to install as Windows.
Joking and snark aside, Linux can be as difficult or as easy to use as you want it to be.
I think you mean “how to polish a turd”
I love this description of trying to make windows bearable!
Because Windows will never be bearable in my book.
Mythbusters managed to do that pretty well
Lol
Pretty @#%^ing ironic posting this shortly before the W11 23H2 build releases and literally un-does everything all over again.
The only answer is refusing to use Microsoft malware full stop.