•  

  Windows 11 - Final Thoughts

  Mar 22, 2025

  Last month, I finished building my first two Windows 11 computers.  Mine was the first one, done as a learning experience.  The second one was for Janet to replace her ailing Windows 10 PC.  The second installation on Jans' machine went much smoother due to the lessons learned in doing mine.  I’ll talk a little bit about them here and next month, I’ll move on to covering the Plan “B” I had for the two ex-Windows 10 PCs we replaced.

  You can purchase Windows 11 in a few different ways.  You can get it on a DVD, USB Thumb drive, or direct download with the license key sent to you via email.  You would then burn the downloaded file to DVD yourself.  In doing the first install on my PC, I learned what not to do.  First, any installation of Windows 11 requires a Windows Live account (more on that in a minute).  This method stores your login credentials with Microsoft instead of being stored locally on your PC as had historically been the case.  What a pain.  But there is a way around it by using a little free utility called Rufus. 

  The Rufus utility is used for making any regular USB storage thumb drive bootable, allowing you to use it to install many other types of programs.  One of the features when using Rufus to make any source version of Windows 11 into a bootable thumb drive is the option of forcing the first user account to be a local one instead of using a Microsoft Live account.  There are other options but this is the one that interested me the most.  Some of the others may void any warranty and disqualify you from support by Microsoft.  Use those at your own risk.  Using this was what made Jan’s install go much more smoothly.  There is one other bit of “help” Microsoft offers that I think should best be avoided.

  If you happen to already have a Microsoft Live account (and OneDrive cloud storage), you can always use it.  The installer will also ask you if you would like to bag up and transfer all your settings and licenses, passwords and favorites, applications, and other files from your current PC over to your new one.  Just like the stereotypical "sucker born every minute," I believed them and said “sure - go ahead.” 

  The process is a relay of sorts.  It copies all your stuff up to the cloud with OneDrive.  Then it downloads the files from OneDrive into your new PC.  Great!  The last thing I expected after the process completed was a message saying “Windows completed a partial transfer.  Only some of your files and applications were installed.”  No other options or explanations were provided and it was a complete debacle.  Just a “Sucks to be You” and have a nice day. Typical Microsoft.  

  That’s when I researched the possibility of performing an install using a local account instead, and found the trick about using the free Rufus utility.  So, I wiped the drive and started over.  The clean install with a local user account went percfectly!  Then it was time to perform a complete manual reinstall of all the different programs Jan uses, followed by transferring all the documents, pictures and other individual files - something I had expected to to anyway.  More work?  Certainly.  But it's also very straight-forward and lacking all the drama.  Ultimately, I had her PC running very nicely. 

  So, what were the lessons learned?  First, do not use the file and application transfer option even if you are going with the Live account-type of install.  Second, use the Rufus utility with a local user install option if you can – it flat out makes things easier.

  Do I still think Windows 11 was worth it?  Yes.  It still runs much more efficiently and is not really that difficult to get up to speed with.  There’s just that nagging bit about Microsoft forcing you to have a MS-Live account just to do the install.  The free Rufus utility now makes that a non-issue.  Remember that this only applies if you’re the sort to build your own equipment like I do.  If you like using cloud-based storage and already have a Microsoft Live account, then go ahead and do the install.  Just avoid the Transfer wizard option like it has the Plague.  If you bought a new laptop, tablet, or PC from a major vendor like HP, ASUS, etc., just follow their instructions and you’ll be fine, but still avoid the file transfer offer.  As for me, I just don’t like being beholden to the Man just to use my computer.  It's the one time I'd rather everything be left to me.

   

Comments

• (no comments)