New computers automatically downloading Win 11

[Smokin Joe]

@berdie

Well that's a little more complicated... It is troublesome that it all broke at the same time. That indicates something catastrophic. But may still be pretty simple.

If the monitor is salvageable is the hard part, providing the boot issue can be fixed.

If a guy could hook it to an external KB and monitor, and get it running, the next issue is why the monitor doesn't work, because if the monitor is truly busted it would probably cost more to replace than it is worth. At that point it is a boat anchor.

But I have had them come in just like that and just be a matter of wiggling internal connections, so it ain't over till it's over. 

If the display went pink before it quit, chances are it's the CCFL bulb on an older laptop. I have changed them out but it is a pita, and they are easy to break.

[roamer_1]

I had one of those when I worked in the R&D lab.  Most people got "standard" Laptops, but mine was a designated "Work Station" with tons of RAM, large SSD and fast everything.  It never taxed my patience.  You could run huge SPICE Models on it. 

(My department developed the parameters for the SPICE.)

SPICE?

[roamer_1]

If the display went pink before it quit, chances are it's the CCFL bulb on an older laptop. I have changed them out but it is a pita, and they are easy to break.

yeah... there's another hoodig up in there that's just a glorified resistor... Can't remember what they call it now, but it's $15-50 bucks and a PIA to get to... The monitor itself though... It can surprise you - Sometimes they're cheap... but mostly not. If you have to throw 200-300 bucks down for the monitor, plus the service cost to replace it... well that's bouncing off the limit for most laptop's value.

I have done it... I had an Alienware box in here that I picked up for a song that needed a monitor. But I was in it crazy cheap. And it was worth a fair buck when fixed. So it made sense.

[Smokin Joe]

yeah... there's another hoodig up in there that's just a glorified resistor... Can't remember what they call it now, but it's $15-50 bucks and a PIA to get to... The monitor itself though... It can surprise you - Sometimes they're cheap... but mostly not. If you have to throw 200-300 bucks down for the monitor, plus the service cost to replace it... well that's bouncing off the limit for most laptop's value.

I have done it... I had an Alienware box in here that I picked up for a song that needed a monitor. But I was in it crazy cheap. And it was worth a fair buck when fixed. So it made sense.

Back when, I bought a bunch of Toshiba M3s. They worked for me in the field, but this was one of those part piles. So I had displays I could swap out and actually got two of the dead machines working. I used the one I had for the main box for years, swapping out the fan and display and cloning the HDD and replacing that with a bigger one, added memory to max. It did yeoman's work until I got the Win 10 box, and I only did that because I needed to (software would no longer run on XP). That got the SSD, more memory, and has been going well. I do need to scare up a backup for it, though, It has a lot of miles on it, working on wells in ND, MT, CO, UT, TX, and NV.

[roamer_1]

Back when, I bought a bunch of Toshiba M3s. They worked for me in the field, but this was one of those part piles. So I had displays I could swap out and actually got two of the dead machines working. I used the one I had for the main box for years, swapping out the fan and display and cloning the HDD and replacing that with a bigger one, added memory to max. It did yeoman's work until I got the Win 10 box, and I only did that because I needed to (software would no longer run on XP). That got the SSD, more memory, and has been going well. I do need to scare up a backup for it, though, It has a lot of miles on it, working on wells in ND, MT, CO, UT, TX, and NV.

YEP. I would treat you like an outside sales guy (don't have many portable scientists). I encourage them to buy a box every two years, using the newest as a primary, and the older as a standby. That leaves the old one retiring at 4 years, where if you have been lucky and kept it in a bag, it might still be worth a buck or two to invest in the next new one.

I do that too - My 'new' one seldom leaves the house. But my standby spare winds up in my service bag - So I guess I really do the opposite - beating on my old one, and leaving my new one where it won't get hurt.

But I have developed a pretty good standard for rough-duty portable systems. Two laptops and a USB hard drive. I use FreeFileSync with a FFS batch I wrote to allow automated backup to the external and which also has a sync feature - Mirroring one laptop's data to the sync folder and then later, mirroring from the sync folder to the other laptop.

I know it's a kludge in this day and age - But a lot of my outside sales guys don't necessarily have internet, sometimes for days. So this gives them more than three backups and three standing sets (both laptops and the sync folder) Many still use this system.

I have grown away from it myself. I am always with internet, at least at night... So my critical data is pumped to the web using MS OneDrive... Kinda neat if you can do it. That critical data is then synced to four machines here locally. My main and secondary laptop, and my server and my main whip.

Fat data is still mainly managed the old fashioned way, except that I have offsite backup at several private pods around the nation... I will not lose data until Armageddon. 

[Hoodat]

Just purchased a new laptop that has Win 11 installed.  There are two apps I wish to uninstall - Alexa and Cortana.

I ran the following script from a Powershell window to remove Cortana:  Get-appxpackage -allusers *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* | Remove-AppxPackage

It gave me the following response:   Deployment operation progress: Microsoft.549981C3F5F10_4.2204.13303.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe                                   Initialized  

I am hoping that did the trick, but I still see it in my apps list.   For Alexa, the only option I see is to uninstall from the apps list.  However, it says it is uninstalling, but doesn't.

Anyone got any Windows 11 experience?  I saw earlier where @roamer_1 complained about the Start menu, for which I agree.  Wish I could change it.

[Hoodat]

Update:  I had thought the uninstall procedures had frozen up.  But after restart, both apps are gone.  (or more likely, hidden).  I do not trust Alexa, and I want her gone forever.

Anyway, the powershell script in the previous post did indeed remove Cortana (which has no 'uninstall' option).

[Hoodat]

SPICE?

Melange.

btw, I am a huge David Lynch fan.  But the new Dune movie is much better than the first.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

SPICE?

Spice is probably the circuit simulator program. I played around with it a few years ago.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

Just purchased a new laptop that has Win 11 installed.  There are two apps I wish to uninstall - Alexa and Cortana.

I ran the following script from a Powershell window to remove Cortana:  Get-appxpackage -allusers *Microsoft.549981C3F5F10* | Remove-AppxPackage

It gave me the following response:   Deployment operation progress: Microsoft.549981C3F5F10_4.2204.13303.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe                                   Initialized  

I am hoping that did the trick, but I still see it in my apps list.   For Alexa, the only option I see is to uninstall from the apps list.  However, it says it is uninstalling, but doesn't.

Anyone got any Windows 11 experience?  I saw earlier where @roamer_1 complained about the Start menu, for which I agree.  Wish I could change it.

I had it and it was fine as a gaming machine, then I tried actually using it…

Designed by the same bleep who did windows 8 I think.

[Cyber Liberty]

Spice is probably the circuit simulator program. I played around with it a few years ago.

LOL!  Yup, that's what I was referring to, moons ago.

[roamer_1]

Update:  I had thought the uninstall procedures had frozen up.  But after restart, both apps are gone.  (or more likely, hidden).  I do not trust Alexa, and I want her gone forever.

Anyway, the powershell script in the previous post did indeed remove Cortana (which has no 'uninstall' option).

@Hoodat
There's a something from O&O software called AppBuster That works a treat... It can function as app management for all apps, including hidden.

RTFM, Clean install, portable. no reg. Needs a local toybox folder if you want it to keep track of what you have done in the box. Drop it where you want it, run it once to gen inifile and ready... Revert and DEL to uninstall.

It's just a tad more elegant than managing pwrscripts.

[roamer_1]

Also, StarDock's Start11 seems to be the go-to for getting back to a win10 Start.

YMMV - I do not use this, as I need to understand the native system.

[roamer_1]

Melange.

btw, I am a huge David Lynch fan.  But the new Dune movie is much better than the first.

Oddly enough, I have not seen the new one yet... And it was just recommended to me this week. So it's in-queue. 

[roamer_1]

Spice is probably the circuit simulator program. I played around with it a few years ago.

Yeah... That was me being geek-funny. Sometimes it ain't so funny 

[Smokin Joe]

I had it and it was fine as a gaming machine, then I tried actually using it…

Designed by the same bleep who did windows 8 I think.

All I know about 11 is that two fundamental right click functions, ones I use repeatedly in a workday, require yet an additional click to access as "other options" in order to use "send to" and "rename". It's a pain in the ass, considering the number of times I have to do that in a workday.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

All I know about 11 is that two fundamental right click functions, ones I use repeatedly in a workday, require yet an additional click to access as "other options" in order to use "send to" and "rename". It's a pain in the ass, considering the number of times I have to do that in a workday.

Exactly what annoyed me about it! Who makes these decisions at ms? I use properties a lot personally, no longer a one click operation!

[roamer_1]

Exactly what annoyed me about it! Who makes these decisions at ms? I use properties a lot personally, no longer a one click operation!

Me too... Alt+Enter ...

[sneakypete]

All I know about 11 is that two fundamental right click functions, ones I use repeatedly in a workday, require yet an additional click to access as "other options" in order to use "send to" and "rename". It's a pain in the ass, considering the number of times I have to do that in a workday.

@Smokin Joe

All *I* know personally about Windows 11 is that it caused me to destroy my new laptop,and buy a used,reconditioned one always loaded with Win 10 Pro for 100 bucks off of ebay.

In fact,I am using it to post this.

[Smokin Joe]

@Smokin Joe

All *I* know personally about Windows 11 is that it caused me to destroy my new laptop,and buy a used,reconditioned one always loaded with Win 10 Pro for 100 bucks off of ebay.

In fact,I am using it to post this.

I am a notorious Windows version skipper....

I went from 3.11 to Win 95, had one machine with 98SE, which died in a puddle when a window leaked out at the rig. From there I went to XP, and ran that until the current refurbished Win 10 machine I'm using now. Win 11 is a PITA, as far as I am concerned, another Microsoft gratuitous 'upgrade' which really offers me nothing in terms of practical functionality, and in fact, for me is less functional than Win 10.
The whole thing to me seems to be a progression of presenting a "new" platform for the people who have to have the newest thing, and when/if the bugs are worked out of that, coming up with another 'new, improved' platform full of bugs to sell people. Aside from the user interface and a few other (annoying) changes, I'd bet the basics remain the same.

Frankly, for my purposes, being able to stuff a file of 20MB on a drive or e-mail it a couple seconds faster just doesn't matter. The speed with which I can manipulate the familiar outstrips the learning curve, and sometimes, the interface itself.

I'll be picking up another refurb Win 10 machine for a backup, installing a SSD, and filling out the memory to max, and should be good to go.

[Hoodat]

With my new laptop, I bought a one-time Home edition of MS-Office just to avoid all that 365 cloud bullsh!t.  However, I just discovered that this version does not include Outlook.  I just finished pulling all my Gmail into Outlook only to discover that I will need a 365 account to keep it.  A one-time Outlook license is about $125 (which is more than I paid for Office).

So I searched around and found a product called Mailbird.  Do any of you computer gurus know anything about Mailbird?

[Hoodat]

And no, not happy with Win11.  Will end up putting shortcuts on my desktop for Windows Explorer, DOS window, Calculator, Notepad, and Paint.

[roamer_1]

With my new laptop, I bought a one-time Home edition of MS-Office just to avoid all that 365 cloud bullsh!t.  However, I just discovered that this version does not include Outlook.  I just finished pulling all my Gmail into Outlook only to discover that I will need a 365 account to keep it.  A one-time Outlook license is about $125 (which is more than I paid for Office).

So I searched around and found a product called Mailbird.  Do any of you computer gurus know anything about Mailbird?

I think I had that a while ago... had trouble with the seats... well, not the seats as much as the devices. I don't remember exactly, but it was going to cost me more than it was worth.

I was in Mozilla Thunderbird for years and years. with add-ons, it can be a decent replacement for outlook. Except it would not sync well to droids, which is why I went Outlook Express and Calendar this go around... with Samsung's mail and cal overlaid by MS Outlook on the droids.Samsung is doing the work, and sync works great to MS Cal. on Win boxen.

[Hoodat]

Don't really care about synching it to phones, etc.  If I need to check gmail, I can do that without an email platform.

I just hate the way gmail works, and would prefer some sort of structure that makes it more usable (such as searching and sorting).  And more importantly makes it local.

[roamer_1]

Don't really care about synching it to phones, etc.  If I need to check gmail, I can do that without an email platform.

I just hate the way gmail works, and would prefer some sort of structure that makes it more usable (such as searching and sorting).  And more importantly makes it local.

Research Thunderbird with add-ons. I know it has a gmail plugin. Does all the stupid pet tricks with mail and cal. Will also plug into MS cal and Yahoo cal... and does universal inbox. I LIKED it plenty, tho it is a bit eccentric.

[Elderberry]

I never much cared for Outlook. I had to use it at work. At home I've used Thunderbird for a whole lotta yrs now. I was on Pegasus before then. MS don't like the CPU I'm running so I don't have to worry about it upgrading to Win 11. I had picked up a newer CPU a while back, but I ain't about to load it in now.

[Hoodat]

Thanks for the tip, @roamer_1

Found a couple of articles comparing Mailbird and Thunderbird.  Basically, I want an email client that will essentially organize itself based on pre-written rules.  Thunderbird does that.

[roamer_1]

Thanks for the tip, @roamer_1

Found a couple of articles comparing Mailbird and Thunderbird.  Basically, I want an email client that will essentially organize itself based on pre-written rules.  Thunderbird does that.

@Hoodat
yeah it does. Glad to help.

A couple maintenance things...
You can change where Mozilla products keep their data... And I would recommend doing that... I had a folder in %userprofile%\Archives\Thunderbird So it would regularly pick up with my backup routines.

Start=>Run=> 'Thunderbird --profilemanager'

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profiles-where-thunderbird-stores-user-data

Then if you ever have to reload... All your stored mail, mail settings, addons and all are restored just dropping the backup files back in there.

[berdie]

A question (I don't know how to post a topic nor do I want to). But to @roamer_1  or any of you other computer gurus around here...

I got a sound bar for my tv for a Christmas present. I don't have room nor is it needed.

Sooo, can I hook it to my laptop? I see conflicting advice on this on the internet. I listen to music on my laptop since I can't bend down to use my stereo. But the speakers are really cheesy on the computer.

Any one who chooses to answer...dumb it down A LOT!

[roamer_1]

A question (I don't know how to post a topic nor do I want to). But to @roamer_1  or any of you other computer gurus around here...

I got a sound bar for my tv for a Christmas present. I don't have room nor is it needed.

Sooo, can I hook it to my laptop? I see conflicting advice on this on the internet. I listen to music on my laptop since I can't bend down to use my stereo. But the speakers are really cheesy on the computer.

Any one who chooses to answer...dumb it down A LOT!

Maybe @berdie ... but that would be rather awkward.
Tell you what... see if you can return it and get a bluetooth speaker for your laptop. I think you'll like that a whole lot better.

FIRST- Dunno if your box has bluetooth - If it don't a bluetooth speaker ain't gonna work, so fair warning, you may need to get a bluetooth USB device to make it happen - about 20 bucks at the Best Buy. If you need it, get a nice flat one that you can plug in and leave in - you don't want one that is long or in the way that you will worry for snagging on things.

Bluetooth is wireless connection (like WIFI, but for things) so the speaker would not have to be plugged in. Once paired to your machine, if you turn the speaker on, it will automagically just hook up to your box any time it finds it.

I have one I use all the time on this laptop - I got it off of Amazon.. Aeomei was the brand I think... cost me under 40 bucks. Anker is another seriously solid brand... But talk to your kin and find out what they are already comfortable with - as they will likely have to help you set it up -  So something they already know alright might be the thing.

Anyhow, this one is about a foot long and maybe 5 inches wide... maybe 3 inches deep, and puts out very nice sound - Especially compared to anything a laptop can throw. It has a rechargeable battery, so it is portable like the laptop, though I leave mine plugged in most of the time.

I have another hooked to my tablet... A crappy little one about the size of a baseball... but same sort of thing... I use that setup portable, taking it with me as I work in the kitchen or do laundry or whatnot. That way the tablet can stay safely away from dirt and wetness, and I just keep the speaker nearby... I paid about twenty bucks for that little thing over at the Wallyworld years and years ago, and while it ain't got the quality sound the bigger one does that old thing don't owe me a dime.

But something thereabouts is where I would have you go... 

[roamer_1]

@berdie

Addendum:

You can also get bluetooth earphones or ear buds if that's something you'd rather... I have some very serious high quality earphones for music - Though I really prefer speakers most of the time, and not having to dig out the dang things when I want... so mostly that speaker works for me.

[DB]

A question (I don't know how to post a topic nor do I want to). But to @roamer_1  or any of you other computer gurus around here...

I got a sound bar for my tv for a Christmas present. I don't have room nor is it needed.

Sooo, can I hook it to my laptop? I see conflicting advice on this on the internet. I listen to music on my laptop since I can't bend down to use my stereo. But the speakers are really cheesy on the computer.

Any one who chooses to answer...dumb it down A LOT!

If you provide a make and model number we can see what connectivity it has. If it has USB then it likely can be connected to your computer. If it is only HDMI it might be possible if your laptop has an HDMI connector (which is pretty common).

[berdie]

@roamer_1  @DB

Thank you both for your replies. And thank you for making it easier for me to understand. I know when someone knows their stuff...it's darn hard to make someone who doesn't understand this stuff...understand. It at least gave me a starting point. I'm always worried that I'm going to screw things up, even though they are working good right now.

My computer is a Dell Latitude. It does have Blue Tooth, never enabled. The soundbar is an ONN Blast 2.1.
2 speakers, wireless subwoofer Blue Tooth Wireless Technology. That's what the box says...plus a lot of blah, blah, blah.

My choice would be to return the darn thing. But I hate to hurt my baby brother's feelings. I can't understand, since he knows how tech illiterate I am, this gift. But he was real excited. I'm not ungrateful...just confused.

I may have to wait for a day when I'm feeling real spiffy and patient to attempt hooking this thing up. Otherwise, it will go into the lake instead of the closet.

[DB]

@roamer_1  @DB

Thank you both for your replies. And thank you for making it easier for me to understand. I know when someone knows their stuff...it's darn hard to make someone who doesn't understand this stuff...understand. It at least gave me a starting point. I'm always worried that I'm going to screw things up, even though they are working good right now.

My computer is a Dell Latitude. It does have Blue Tooth, never enabled. The soundbar is an ONN Blast 2.1.
2 speakers, wireless subwoofer Blue Tooth Wireless Technology. That's what the box says...plus a lot of blah, blah, blah.

My choice would be to return the darn thing. But I hate to hurt my baby brother's feelings. I can't understand, since he knows how tech illiterate I am, this gift. But he was real excited. I'm not ungrateful...just confused.

I may have to wait for a day when I'm feeling real spiffy and patient to attempt hooking this thing up. Otherwise, it will go into the lake instead of the closet.

The ONN Blast 2.1 has Bluetooth connectivity so you should be able to pair it to your laptop without any additional equipment. Most Bluetooth devices are pretty easy to pair. There should be detailed instructions that came with it how to do so with the particular version of Windows you have.

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1  @DB

Thank you both for your replies. And thank you for making it easier for me to understand. I know when someone knows their stuff...it's darn hard to make someone who doesn't understand this stuff...understand. It at least gave me a starting point. I'm always worried that I'm going to screw things up, even though they are working good right now.

My computer is a Dell Latitude. It does have Blue Tooth, never enabled. The soundbar is an ONN Blast 2.1.
2 speakers, wireless subwoofer Blue Tooth Wireless Technology. That's what the box says...plus a lot of blah, blah, blah.

My choice would be to return the darn thing. But I hate to hurt my baby brother's feelings. I can't understand, since he knows how tech illiterate I am, this gift. But he was real excited. I'm not ungrateful...just confused.

I may have to wait for a day when I'm feeling real spiffy and patient to attempt hooking this thing up. Otherwise, it will go into the lake instead of the closet.

@berdie

@DB is right - If it is bluetooth it will easily work with your laptop.

My concern is more with form factor... That thing has got to be what, maybe three feet long? It's made to sit under a TV... Where the heck else would you put it?

It is just such an awkward form for anything else...

Why not use it with your TV, by the way? That's what it is for...

But if not, explain the dilemma to baby brother and see if he could help you pick a different bluetooth speaker for your laptop - His expertise and assistance, greatly appreciated, will offset any unintended hurt feelings, I bet.

[berdie]

@berdie

@DB is right - If it is bluetooth it will easily work with your laptop.

My concern is more with form factor... That thing has got to be what, maybe three feet long? It's made to sit under a TV... Where the heck else would you put it?

It is just such an awkward form for anything else...

Why not use it with your TV, by the way? That's what it is for...

But if not, explain the dilemma to baby brother and see if he could help you pick a different bluetooth speaker for your laptop - His expertise and assistance, greatly appreciated, will offset any unintended hurt feelings, I bet.

Well, @roamer_1 the problem with using this soundbar with the tv (it's intended use) are two fold.
I don't have one of the newer tv stands that are so popular. I have what looks like a small armoire  that houses the tv in the top and stereo in the bottom. I was really excited that the tv (32") fit. I doubt the soundbar would fit. I really like this piece of furniture, so I doubt that I'll part with it any time soon.

And even more importantly...even if it would fit...somebody would have to get behind the tv to hook the sound bar up. Heck, somebody is a little nervous about climbing back there. She'd have to pack a lunch, take water and a phone in case she couldn't get back out. Plus, I'm nervous about altering the tv in any way. At least it works...right now.

I'm just trying to figure out a way to use the darn thing. Other than using up closet space.lol

[roamer_1]

Well, @roamer_1 the problem with using this soundbar with the tv (it's intended use) are two fold.
I don't have one of the newer tv stands that are so popular. I have what looks like a small armoire  that houses the tv in the top and stereo in the bottom. I was really excited that the tv (32") fit. I doubt the soundbar would fit. I really like this piece of furniture, so I doubt that I'll part with it any time soon.

@berdie

LOL! I hear you. I will tell you something funny. My main TV is, I dunno, 50 something inches...But it sits atop the very same oak tv console I have had forever. Of course, the vertical roll-top that hides where the tv is supposed to go is normally closed... but it is way too small a space for my current TV, seeing as it was made for TVs long before there was a flat screen...  So that is now stuffed with my media server, my web-facing server (computers), and an all in wonder printer/scanner/fax that still works, but I ain't used in a decade.

The stereo sits in the right side of the cabinet, behind smoked glass, where the stereo is supposed to go - because the cabinet was made back in the day when everyone had a stereo system - That no longer has a turn table or a tape deck, or a dvd player (the media server has a Blue-ray capable DVD drive/recorder built in)... But I still use it - the TV is wired through it for sound (as I said before), and it's still tuned to KHNK (HANK FM Country) if I flip it over to FM.


But I was lucky enough that the cabinet is short and wide enough for the giant tv to sit on top, flanked with shelves on either side... So other than wiring the old TV compartment to support networking and 110v, I ain't changed a thing about it in all this time. However, at this point, I don't think I could take much more tv, even sitting on top like it is... there's maybe 6" left to go any bigger.

So you ain't got to tell me about keeping an armoire. I do the same. I reckon it would not do in a McMansion... Looking a bit clap-trap, I suppose. But hey - This is a redneck cabin here, and it'll do just fine. And the womenfolks that have been through here have said it looks alright... Though none of them are from the hors de oveures crowd either... Unless a Ritz and some spray-on cheese would count. 

But in your case - It wouldn't take much to measure it out to see if it would fit some way... Maybe it would be worth the doin of it.

And even more importantly...even if it would fit...somebody would have to get behind the tv to hook the sound bar up. Heck, somebody is a little nervous about climbing back there. She'd have to pack a lunch, take water and a phone in case she couldn't get back out. Plus, I'm nervous about altering the tv in any way. At least it works...right now.

I'm just trying to figure out a way to use the darn thing. Other than using up closet space.lol

Now, y'all can be all independent and all... but you surely have a tech-savvy teen laying around, either among your kin or among your neighbors. I can't even begin to tell you how many country grannies I have been roped into doing for exactly that sort of thing... The amount of printers and sound bars And other peripherals I have hooked up for nothing because they know me and I was driving by is astronomical and spans years and years - Long before they started looking to set their hat for me - Though that is often the purpose behind the house call these days. 

So don't be proud. There's somebody you know that could help you out. 

But if not, then I reckon you should return it, and go for a smaller speaker for your laptop instead... Albeit that you'll not know what you are missing.

[berdie]

@berdie

LOL! I hear you. I will tell you something funny. My main TV is, I dunno, 50 something inches...But it sits atop the very same oak tv console I have had forever. Of course, the vertical roll-top that hides where the tv is supposed to go is normally closed... but it is way too small a space for my current TV, seeing as it was made for TVs long before there was a flat screen...  So that is now stuffed with my media server, my web-facing server (computers), and an all in wonder printer/scanner/fax that still works, but I ain't used in a decade.

The stereo sits in the right side of the cabinet, behind smoked glass, where the stereo is supposed to go - because the cabinet was made back in the day when everyone had a stereo system - That no longer has a turn table or a tape deck, or a dvd player (the media server has a Blue-ray capable DVD drive/recorder built in)... But I still use it - the TV is wired through it for sound (as I said before), and it's still tuned to KHNK (HANK FM Country) if I flip it over to FM.


But I was lucky enough that the cabinet is short and wide enough for the giant tv to sit on top, flanked with shelves on either side... So other than wiring the old TV compartment to support networking and 110v, I ain't changed a thing about it in all this time. However, at this point, I don't think I could take much more tv, even sitting on top like it is... there's maybe 6" left to go any bigger.

So you ain't got to tell me about keeping an armoire. I do the same. I reckon it would not do in a McMansion... Looking a bit clap-trap, I suppose. But hey - This is a redneck cabin here, and it'll do just fine. And the womenfolks that have been through here have said it looks alright... Though none of them are from the hors de oveures crowd either... Unless a Ritz and some spray-on cheese would count. 

But in your case - It wouldn't take much to measure it out to see if it would fit some way... Maybe it would be worth the doin of it.

Now, y'all can be all independent and all... but you surely have a tech-savvy teen laying around, either among your kin or among your neighbors. I can't even begin to tell you how many country grannies I have been roped into doing for exactly that sort of thing... The amount of printers and sound bars And other peripherals I have hooked up for nothing because they know me and I was driving by is astronomical and spans years and years - Long before they started looking to set their hat for me - Though that is often the purpose behind the house call these days. 

So don't be proud. There's somebody you know that could help you out. 

But if not, then I reckon you should return it, and go for a smaller speaker for your laptop instead... Albeit that you'll not know what you are missing.

 

[sneakypete]

Ok,my cheapie 100 buck reconditioned Win 10 laptop bit the dust,so I am back to trying to learn Win11.

Right now my biggest problem seems to be getting the browser to fit the screen on the laptop.

Reduced to the text size to the point I can barely ready it,and the browser box is still larger than the screen.

Driving me nuts.

STILL having chemo brain doesn't seem to help.

[roamer_1]

Ok,my cheapie 100 buck reconditioned Win 10 laptop bit the dust,so I am back to trying to learn Win11.

Right now my biggest problem seems to be getting the browser to fit the screen on the laptop.

Reduced to the text size to the point I can barely ready it,and the browser box is still larger than the screen.

Driving me nuts.

STILL having chemo brain doesn't seem to help.

@sneakypete

OK... FIRST - Take it in to a tech and see if it can be reinstalled to Win10Pro. Might be a buck or two, but maybe you can have your cake and eat it too. 

Only if you CAN'T convert it back to Win10 would I go through the pain of relearning.

BTW: If you can find a Win7Pro box that died still using Win7, you can use the numbers off of that box to install Win10Pro - Saving the cost of buying a retail copy.

[sneakypete]

@roamer_1

Thanks,but I live in a VERY rural area,and the closest tech shop is a half-assed outfit that is 50 miles away,and they would want me to drop it off and come back in a week or so to pick it up.

NOT had good luck buying accessories from these people.

Frankly,I would rather just buy a new laptop.

[Bigun]

@roamer_1

Thanks,but I live in a VERY rural area,and the closest tech shop is a half-assed outfit that is 50 miles away,and they would want me to drop it off and come back in a week or so to pick it up.

NOT had good luck buying accessories from these people.

Frankly,I would rather just buy a new laptop.

Something like the one at the link will likely serve you well for quite awhile @sneakypete

https://www.amazon.com/Lenovo-ThinkPad-i5-6300U-Certified-Refurbished/dp/B081FJG5L5/ref=sr_1_18?crid=WUZ3GLUIH5ZU&keywords=used+laptops+on+sale+clearance&qid=1674780142&sprefix=Used+lap%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-18

[roamer_1]

@roamer_1

Thanks,but I live in a VERY rural area,and the closest tech shop is a half-assed outfit that is 50 miles away,and they would want me to drop it off and come back in a week or so to pick it up.

NOT had good luck buying accessories from these people.

Frankly,I would rather just buy a new laptop.

@sneakypete

Ask around. There's somebody taking care of all them rednecks... If you was here, that'd be me.

I just hate to see you missing out on that perfectly good machine you already have. It's a simple job if you know what you are doing... I'd have that rubbed off and reinstalled in a half hour or so.

[catfish1957]

Breaking News .....

I got a picture  of one of the staff in the new MS support group.......

Here to help you with your technical questions for WIN 11 installation and operation.

[Idiot]

@Bigun
Yes, if you have win10 and shut off secure boot or TPM, it would no longer bug you to install win11... But shutting off the win11 auto update will shut it off too...

As an aside, I have had many machines loaded with win11 There are ways to install it on most modern machines... But the FUD is that they will not update properly unless there is secure boot, TPM 2.0, and a supported processor. I keep fixin to lay up a permanent installation on inferior hardware just to see if it is FUD. But I really can't stand the interface. I always wind up throwing it away and reinstalling win10 within a week or two.

I have a surveying program that is not supported anymore and requires Win 7 to run.  Is it still possible to purchase a desktop computer that will run Win 7, that of course will never ever be on the internet?  I have the program on a laptop, but I fear it will crash at some point and will still need this program for years to come. @roamer_1

[corbe]

I have a surveying program that is not supported anymore and requires Win 7 to run.  Is it still possible to purchase a desktop computer that will run Win 7, that of course will never ever be on the internet?  I have the program on a laptop, but I fear it will crash at some point and will still need this program for years to come. @roamer_1

   Good Question @mrpotatohead  There has to be some emulator out there that could run on upgraded boxes.  My Accountant is running some old accounts on Software that will only run on XP, no path to migration.  He's hoping the XP box lives 2 more years until he retires.  I'd love to find a solution to his problem other than saying 'Dude, dump that old software, before it's too late'.

[DB]

   Good Question @mrpotatohead  There has to be some emulator out there that could run on upgraded boxes.  My Accountant is running some old accounts on Software that will only run on XP, no path to migration.  He's hoping the XP box lives 2 more years until he retires.  I'd love to find a solution to his problem other than saying 'Dude, dump that old software, before it's too late'.

I've got an older workstation computer with XP on it and it still works properly... I use it to run some old programs but primarily to run Unreal Tournament 1999... It's on a somewhat modern computer with a fancy graphics card and LCD monitor that will run at a 144 Hz frame rate. In the good old day's I had a Sony CRT monitor that would run at 300+ Hz refresh rate for a much higher frame rate.

I've also got some very old IBM Thinkpad laptops with Windows 2000 on them and they still run as long as they're plugged into the wall... The batteries are completely shot. I only use it to run an old Linear Circuit Analysis Simulator I wrote in the late 80's...

[Elderberry]

I have a program that runs on Win7, but not on Win10.  So I run it on my Win10 PC in a Win7 Virtual Window using Oracle VM VirtualBox.  I also have a Win7 machine I picked up on Ebay.

[DB]

I have a program that runs on Win7, but not on Win10.  So I run it on my Win10 PC in a Win7 Virtual Window using Oracle VM VirtualBox.  I also have a Win7 machine I picked up on Ebay.

Win10 is supposed to have some compatibility modes that you can configure for specific applications. Have you tried them?

[Elderberry]

Win10 is supposed to have some compatibility modes that you can configure for specific applications. Have you tried them?

I have given up on trying Compatibility Mode. It never worked for me.