FAQ:
>How do I activate Windows?
github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts
HWID2 generates and registers a permanent legitimate license on MS's activation servers
Usage: paste into Powershell, run.
irm https://get.activated.win | iex
>and Office?
Same method, use Ohook
You can also use Office.com if your needs are very minimal
or try OnlyOffice/LibreOffice and set it to save in MSOffice file formats

>What version should I install?
W10 Enterprise IoT LTSC 2021
>Binary identical to Enterprise except no MS Store or apps
>Preinstalled with: Edge & Win32 system apps
>10 years support on "IoT LTSC", 5 for "LTSC"
>Manual version upgrades
IoT LTSC 2022: https://pastebin.com/rHcgvYS7

W11 Enterprise IoT LTSC 2024
>Same as W10 version except:
>UI written in React Native aka JavaScript including: Start, Taskbar and Explorer that lags even on i9s
>Use only if you fell for the 12th+ gen Intel meme and need the new CPU scheduler
>Wait for IoT LTSC 2027 if you can

Installing apps on LTSC
>use WinGet or install MS Store in CMD with: wsreset -i

W10/W11 Home/Pro/Education/Enterprise/Enterprise IoT
>Preinstalled with: Edge, Win32 system apps, MS Store, OneDrive, Weather, Movies, Music, Candy Crush, etc
>Auto-reinstalls apps on feature updates
>1.5-3 years support
>Forced version upgrades

>ISOs:
Windows IoT LTSC https://pastebin.com/ywkasnhM
Windows https://pastebin.com/nUMgAr0b
Office https://pastebin.com/G8w5qu6z

>Should I debloat / build my own ISO?
If you need to ask, then no.
If you know what you're doing:
https://pastebin.com/S5VKBirt

>Portable programs & reinstall-proofing
https://pastebin.com/Zh7WSbJ2

>Useful programs (new installs, essentials, utilities, adobe, etc)
https://pastebin.com/hN8nnwns

>I miss Windows##
OpenShell/RetroBar/WinClassic/StartIsBack

>LTSC Install Guides
https://rentry.org/windowsinstallguide
https://rentry.org/concisewin10
https://rentry.org/ltsc
https://rentry.org/fwtarchive

Previously on /fwt/:
>>105940279

>>106007197
So I planned on just reinstalling windows 11 and let it take care of backing up my old files, but I deleted the other partitions in case they were messed up and now I get errors saying it can't create or locate existing installations on the partition that has my os

Am I fucked?

>>106007467
If you want your files back you should probably use something like PhotoRec/TestDisk to get everything off of it. You were a bit silly, anon.

>>106007607
Far too late, I'm fucked and just reinstalled it already.

>>106007614
Welp, hope you didn't lose anything too precious.

>>106007622
800gb and almost a decade of programs

>>106007628
Today, anon was just a little bit silly.
Condolences for all your lost crap. Another lesson on always backing up before doing shit like this.

>>106007633
Though I guess you might still have a chance at getting some of it back. Try running one of the two programs I mentioned on the drive and see if it can pick up anything.

Why do my hamburgers look so fucked up.......

>>106008098
They're low fat burgers...

>>106008098
Like, the bottom one looks fine, why??>>106008113
Don't even joke lad

Has anyone tried loading the sconfig until from a server install onto a regular desktop edition?

>>106007395 (OP)
>>Wait for IoT LTSC 2027 if you can
Why? As if it will be win12 or smthn?

I don't open tabs or windows? I just use a single tab and the back/forward buttons. Anyone else like this?

>>106008586
that or they'll finally fix 11

>>106008669
I keep hearing good things about 25H2

when will they fix the UI

>>106008688
>AI
>Can uninstall some default programs OOTB
>New start menu, still ass
Nothingburger

>>106008857
It's not about the features anon it's about how much apparently smoother and snappier it feels compared to 24H2.

>>106008865
>Enhanced Power Management: Revised scheduler heuristics and updated chipset drivers enable more efficient use of multi‑core processors under mixed-load scenarios. On laptops, this translates to modest battery life improvements—on the order of 5% under balanced usage profiles.
>Quick Machine Recovery: A new low‑overhead mechanism preserves a minimal recovery image in system memory. When a severe error—such as a critical kernel fault—occurs, Windows can now roll back to a known good state in a fraction of the time previously required for a full restart cycle.
>Reduced Background Overhead: System services responsible for telemetry and health monitoring have been consolidated, lowering their collective resource footprint by approximately 10%. The result is freed CPU cycles for foreground applications, enhancing perceived responsivenes.
Are these on E-core systems perchance?

How do I turn off history for WinKey+R???
(The run dialog.)

>>106009993
Only answers from those that have actually done this btw, because all the guides that I find does not work.

>>106009993
>>106010012
fixed it, a group policy was turning Privacy>General "let windows track app launches" to OFF and made it grayed out so it could not be toggled

however windows lied, it was not actually off. i disabled the group policy and then it turned to ON but not grayed out. i then manually set it to OFF and it actually got turned off...

I love Windows!

>>106008577
No, but there's no reason it wouldn't work. It just uses WMI calls and scripts Netsh and the like to do it's job.
Note that it's more than just the batch file - it calls into a VBScript file somewhere to do the heavy lifting, so copy that over too.

>>106008941
I see several of those being GREAT on servers.
I find myself suddenly hoping for a Windows Server 2025 R2.

windows 10 with multiple monitors, sometimes when i wake up my PC its like it does not know which monitor is the correct one and keeps jumping back and forth for a short second, dont know if its a recent windows update it started doing this only recently, and then the start menu is zoomed improperly until i restart explorer, so fucking annoying

>Check radeon pl*bbit to see if the new adrenalin driver has released yet
>See thread about microshit overriding everyones driver with some weird shitty version instead
>Check and it did it to me too
>Fixed and now I know that I need to have winpoo update blocked in group policy editor from updating the gpu driver
>Will need to disable this and then reenable it every time I wanna update my gpu driver in the future
And that's my blog post. Why the fuck does pajeetsoft even make weird buggy driver versions for gpus they don't manufacture and then force it on you? It makes no sense.

>>106014375

>>106014375
>why
for normies

typically use a mac for everything but games but when gayman I do like to glance at my emails

I'm surprised at how bad "outlook" is these days. It has a bunch of ads and shit too. What do you guys use for email? Is thunderbird still the typical alternative?

https://github.com/abbodi1406/WHD/tree/master/scripts
dang

>>106015136
abbodi-kun is such an asset

>>106014835
>macshit
found your problem

>>106015179
they modified my windows install because they knew I had a mac?
remembered I had perpetual office 2016 licenses. Installed that and that works fine enough.
still curious what people use today for various things. even before I used a mac I was linux-only for a few years, so it's been several since I used windows for work and stuff

>>106013672
Thanks, I'll try to extract it from a Server ISO.
There might not even be a point though. Disabling WU isn't just a setting on Enterprise and stops defender getting updated definitions, on Server they update separately so sconfig might not even be able to pull in definition updates as it doesn't on Server.

>>106013687
>R2
Why?
You could just use AC release which will get 25H2 shortly after Enterprise does.

>>106014835
Yeah, a lot of people aren't that much of a fan of the new Outlook UWP because it just feels like a web app covered in ads.
If you want an alternative you can yes look into Thunderbird, but there's also Mailspring or the Thunderbird fork Betterbird.

>>106015400
sweet, thanks for the non-jeet response. I did install "Outlook (classic)" which is fine, but I am generally curious about what people use for standard apps, so I'll check those out

>Taskbar won't disappear when I fullscreen a vid on YT or VLC
>Can't right click the clock to look at the calendar
>Start menu no longer works
What do? (I'm on 10 Pro). I tried crashing file explorer to reload the desktop, but they fixed the bug I always used when I had an issue like this, and closing DWM via task manager just prompts me to shut down

>>106014254
>>106015431
huh i started having taskbar issue too, seems like they pushed a retarded update

>>106015499
Hope they resolve it but also keep the bugfix for file explorer, wonder if the latter is related to the former (If you were on a folder with 100+ videos and tried to sort by length, then scrolled down as it was sorting, DWM would crash, causing File Explorer to close and the taskbar to disappear and reappear)

>>106014375
Isn't that on AMD?
Doesn't Windows just search their database for drivers that match how the hardware identifies itself and its up to the manufacturer to keep that database current and correct?

>>106015400
>Outlook UWP
Office LTSC doesn't have that problem.

>>106007395 (OP)
I'm glad this thread's always here. The OP post helped me out with something IMMEDIATELY. Thanks.

>>106015620
LTSC turns 365 modules into just normal Office like before?

>>106015639
I'm forever grateful I found /fwt/ and learned how easy it is to use Windows for free.

>>106015653
>like before
Depends on what you mean. Its still Crap2Run like all releases since 2016 but it has the extended support of LTSC.

>>106015611
The way its supposed to work for both AMD and Nvidia is you either use the built in update tool in their software or go download the new driver yourself manually off their website. Windows update should never involve itself in updating gpu drivers period but Microsoft thinks they know better I guess.

>>106009993
>>106010265
Run history should be stored in registry, if I recall correctly.

>>106008857
>AI
Requires internet, have you seen what it takes to run a 405B llama 3 model and the like? 99.99% of users don't have that kind of hardware, serious LLMs are not going to be local stuff for most folks.

Can't have these threads without some pansy whining about the [delete-able/inconsequential] Copilot shortcut.

>>106016109
Anon's probably just talking about Recall again which you need a CPU with an NPU to even use. Plus it's part of the Windows Features set so you can just disable it at a system level with DISM anyway.

>>106016072
yeah it's stored there but i wanted windows to not store it, but as i mentioned i managed to disable it successfully via a privacy>general setting

>>106015431
>I tried crashing file explorer to reload the desktop
You can kill Explorer from Resource Monitor (but you'll have to start it again from the Task Manager by clicking File>Run new task, and entering "explorer"

>>106016592
Will try this, but how do I open Task Manager from Win+R? (Right clicking the taskbar won't work, since naturally that's what I'm gonna be using task manager to restart)

>>106016662(Me)
Nevermind, saw it's Taskmgr.exe when I entered resource monitor

>>106016670(Me)
I'm retarded and didn't know Run is part of Explorer.exe

>>106016662
You can open the task manager after killing explorer by pressing Ctrl+Alt+Esc or Ctrl+Alt+Del then clicking task manager

>>106016733
>Ctrl+Alt+Esc
Ctrl+Shift+Esc
I'm tired

>>106016733
>>106016743
Ended up just opening Task Manager before I closed Explorer. It worked in the sense that the Taskbar came back, but fixed none of the shit that stopped working before I did anything. Thanks anyway anon, I guess it's just a matter of waiting until next updoot (If I can run the updater, because nothing under the "new" settings menu works, I can unironically only change shit via Control Panel)

>>106016760
Addendum: It just occurred to me that I should check if it's Settings or all Metro apps, and it turns out it's all Metro apps, trying to open Calculator or Clock just says "Class not registered"

>>106016109
>405B llama 3 model
Lmao cause that's comparable with the local Copilot option.
https://pureinfotech.com/windows-11-25h2-new-features/
>New AI image description on Copilot+ PCs
>Windows Narrator can now also generate descriptions for images to assist further users who are blind or have low vision.
>Recent Activity for AI text and image generation

>>106016049
It can work like that but only if both drivers are configured correctly. The Windows process can certainly be improved but in this case the onus is on AMD to fix their drivers: its not like the current process and WU priorities aren't properly documented.
Graphics drivers are notorious cases of this problem because the manufacturers release a new version every week with a new set of bugs (that won't pass the pass the process to make it into the driver store) and the version they submit to Microsoft identifies itself differently to the version on their website. IIRC novideo is the only one of the big three that puts any effort into making sure their WU versions are correct.
>Windows update should never involve itself in updating gpu drivers period but Microsoft thinks they know better I guess.
Just turn it off then lmao. Driver updates won't install automatically on LTSC.

>>106007395 (OP)
Wtf kind of insane rimworld overhaul is this lol

>>106017502
2nd this question

These start menu prototypes for what would become 10 seem somewhat cute.
https://web.archive.org/web/20160103140150/http://bbs.pcbeta.com/viewthread-1602617-1-1.html

v

Why does windows Task Manager show the temperature of my GPU but not my CPU?

Can an anon with W11 IoT LTSC comment on if it supports scrolling through multiple windows of the same program with your mouse wheel like this?

I think this was only added in some W11 update, so i'm not sure.

I'm also curious if any anons who have messed with W10 UI tweak or debloating tools know if any of them can add this functionality to W10 IoT LTSC, alongside being able to have multiple tabs with different folders open, within 1 Windows Explorer folder viewer window, which was also added with some W11 LTSC update (I am told W11 IoT LTSC DOES at least have)

Also is there a way to enable drag and dropping a file onto a window/application in the taskbar in W11?

>>106009993
I ran the debloat thing and now I don't have any in the first place. bit weird but not like I need it

>>106022661
you can enable it again under Privacy and then General (toggle let windows track app launches to ON)

>>106020455
Microsoft is run by faggots, is why.
Use HWinfo for temps and stuff instead.

>>106017253
and then?

>sc.exe
>can make services with gMSAs, virtual accounts, etc.
>powershell
>New-Service requires a PSCredential object which can't be created without a password
wtf is this niggerlicious bullshit?

>>106015385
Note that I suck a lot of cock - I just realized SConfig is now a PowerShell module since Server 2022. You want to copy over the entire contents of %SystemRoot%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\Modules\Microsoft.ServerCore.SConfig\2.0.0.0 from your Server edition ISO.
Having rifled through the cmdlet definitions (most notably SConfig.Update.psm1), it enables and disables auto-update by tapping on the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows\WindowsUpdate\AU!AUOptions registry value (the same one Group Policy does), and actually performs downloading and installing updates by scripting the Microsoft.Update.ServiceManager COM interface - again, nothing that can't be done on client SKUs.

>>106027241
>%SystemRoot%\system32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\
Why did M$ do this?

>>106027275
Because there's more than one version of PowerShell, anon.

>>106027350
now gci a part of that path and weep....
I wish M$ would kneel to unix's /bin concept. Sick of 10000000 different folders full of binaries.

>>106019568
Windows 8 themes were actually pretty cool, the so called "Frutiger Metro" style looked great with the Start Screen and it made Metro not look extremely flat, and it was the last crumb of fun Microsoft had before killing all personalization in W10

>>106027241
Thanks for the info, I still haven't gotten around to trying yet...

>>106027440
/bin is pure Udix baby duck syndrome.
Also Windows still has an equivalent but its only kept for backwards compatibility.

How long does captcha take to get adjusted to my new Firefox installation after fresh installing windows? It used to only require captcha for a couple posts at a time, but now it's everytime

>>106029719
It'll take a while until it notices you're actually a person, but if you just complete the captchas properly over time then it'll get back to the smoothness you remember.

>>106007395 (OP)
What's the best app to view pics, gifs, and webp?

How do I make my desktop and browser cute?

>>106029796
Either nomacs, JPEGView or IrfanView.

>>106029889
I will probably go with irfanview since It can also edit pics. Thanks.

>>106007395 (OP)
>irm https://get.activated.win | iex

This shit safe? I only need it for office. I know it downloads a script and runs it, but is it at least open source and peer reviewed?
Shame it doesn't have permanent activation that persist between installs like HWID does for windows digital licenses.

>>106030439
Yes, it's safe.

lads i'm at the end of my fucking wits. i've been trying to update w10 on my new machine for 4 days now. i have a 7800x3d in a b850 aorus wifi mobo. a brand new usb boot drive with w10 22h2. complete failure to initialize, would hang at "getting pc ready" and not get past first restart. i have an old-ass 1609 usb boot thst actually fucking works, but it hangs at 75% when doing feature update to 20h2. i've tried deleting audio and BT drivers before each restart but nothing is working.

>>106030564
Update its BIOS?

>>106030579

yes flashed latest stable BIOS. even rena,ed the BIOS file.

>>106030439
>but is it at least open source and peer reviewed?
Yes. https://github.com/massgravel/Microsoft-Activation-Scripts

>>106007395 (OP)
Current PC is running W10. I'm building a new PC and want to keep W10, but are there any driver issues I should be concerned about? Do a moderate amount of gaymin' and will be putting a 5070 in the new built. An anon in /pcbg/ mentioned I'd have to run W11 because of future driver support. Is this correct? I really hate W11 except for the ability to have multiple tabs in file explorer

How good is privacy sexy when it comes to debloating?
Should I really toggle all the options on?

>>106031193
Privacy.sexy is a more hands-on approach to disabling services/adding or disabling registry keys compared to ShutUp10 which does it in a more GUI-focused way. Either do basically the same thing, though I use ShutUp10 these days cause it's easier/quicker to use.

>>106031727
So its good?

>>106031960
If you wanna use it go ahead. Just don't use any others on top of it.

>>106030735
Just use 11 already anon. Use IoT LTSC 2024 to get the cleanest version of it.

>>106027937
%systemroot%\system32 is already basically /bin.

>>106007395 (OP)
nazrin

>>106031960
I would stay clear of privacy.sexy. It does lot more than fiddle with registry/policies. Use OOSU and real firewall like Fort. If that's not enough install linux. As simple as.

>>106007395 (OP)
Stole this wallpaper from Fedora Gnome

In win10 when hovering over a preview in the taskbar, said window would be brought to the foreground for as long as your cursor remained on the preview. This isn't happening in win11. Is this standard behavior? Can it be changed? I've got ExplorerPatcher installed btw.

>>106033919
Works for me

I just installed windows 11 and it looks terrible?? I thought it looks pretty sleek from the screenshots but most of it sucks. Worst offenders are the folder icons and the right click menu. I swear if I don't find a way to change the right click menu I will be forced to stick with windows 10.
I like the virtual desktop management and window tiling though
>>106022951
thanks

>>106032322
But it's ugly, less intuitive, and looks like it's designed for a phone :(

Just built a new pc yesterday, things worked, then I moved some files from old pc to new one using crossover cable. Now my ethernet doesn't work anymore. Did everything I could but it just never recognized the cable, LEDs didn't blink either.
Decided to reinstall windows 11 but the problem persists. Installed the Realtek LAN drivers of course. Device Manager still shows a problem with "Network Controller" but that's probably because windows couldn't install any other drivers due to no internet connection yet I assume?

Am I just really unlucky and the LAN port died less than a day after I got the board? Or can a fucking crossover cable cause that damage?!

Does MadVR support more than two auto profiles?
I've tried to use four, but it never switches past the first two.

>>106035476
Holy fucking shit I'm so mad right now. A reddit post fucking helped me fix the issue:

>What finally fixed it was remove the power cable, remove the ethernet cable, hold the power button for 10 seconds then reconnect the ethernet and finally reconnect the power supply.
>https://www.reddit.com/r/MSI_Gaming/comments/1j8lpxi/b850_tomahawk_wifi_max_random_ethernet_drop/

I thought I got a good motherboard but wtf is this bullshit? Reinstalled windows and wasted half the day for this? Jesus...

>>106033927
Winutil option "Set Display for performance" was the culprit.

why is op shilling this admin backdoor? Is anon lying

>>106035874
What's the question here?

How do I change the background color of the task bar and start menu in 11? When I go to personalization -> colors it only changes a few things like the windows logo.

>>106036842
"check out /fwt/"
- someone that clearly has never checked /fwt/

Reminder that not a single person that has claimed that MAS is malware has shown any actual proof of it despite the code being open source

>>106036842
lol get clowned on retard

>>106036842
you took the bait. Welcome to /g/, time to learn some programming and install linux, anon.

>>106036842
Fuck off back to your ERP board, /v/ermin.
>>>/v/716509709

Apparently, my new MSI Motherboard uses Qualcomm WIFI 7 Drivers. I can't seem to find any version for Windows 10. I'm good with wired, it's just annoying that I have to get Win11 or I can't use my wifi system.

W11 makes me want to install Linux

>>106037621
I think I read Wifi7 was W11 only. Yeah its retarded.

>>106034235
You can use Chris Titus utility in order to revert back to the old right click menu, among other stuff that you might find helpful for debloating your W11 install

Anyone use Display Driver Uninstaller? I was recommended this program to clean up any Window's AMD drivers before reinstalling actual AMD's drivers as I had just replaced some parts. I assumed AMD's adrenaline program did that already.

>>106035874
"have you tried turning it off and on again?" is troubleshooting 101 you gayboy

>>106038451
"Anyone use this popular software most people use?"

>>106036842
That's based on old information. Most people don't understand that MAS isn't anything new - it's just a collection of activation tools that others created.
The KMS activator is basically KMS_VL_ALL, which was (and still is) a user-mode rootkit that detours the activation system to make Windows think it's talking to a real KMS server. It would be trivial to insert something nasty in there - and indeed, the 100%-free-windows-activation.trusteddownloads.xyzzy.ru sites of the world do this regularly. However, the official download has always been clean and open source.
Ohook is a "hacktivator", which works by replacing an MS Office system file. Hacktivators are frowned on by some people, as it's not a "filesystem-clean" method, is easily detectable, and have been known to break updates. It is, however, open source and official sources have nothing untoward going on.
I've never used, nor taken apart TSforge, so I can run no commentary on how it works. It may or may not share all off the shortcomings of all the other activation methods. However, I have no doubt official sources for TSforge are also clean.
Older versions of HWIDGen (the HWID activation component) used a hacked version of the MS tool gatherosstate.exe to do its work. As it communicated with the internet, and the modifications were closed source, people (quite rightly) questioned it. However, newer versions don't work this way, are open source, and completely on the level.
Hope this addresses your concerns far better than the NPCs who've just vomited "you an retard" at you thus far, anon.

>>106038214
There's very little that stops an OEM from supporting WiFi 7 on MS-DOS if they want to. But why write an entire network stack when you can write an NDIS driver and say "job done"?

>>106038641
This wasn't just turning it off and on again, this was advanced level turning off and on again.

What is a lightweight terminal/powershell replacement for Windows 11 which
>has good font rendering
>title bar isn't white
I tried CMDer and it's pretty retarded - functionality might be there but it's a wrapper for ConEmu, and weighs over 400 megabytes...
Windows Terminal is okay but for some reason I'm unable to set it as my default terminal AND regardless of the font anti-aliasing settings font rendering is always blurry and smooth. I like to use fonts like Terminus and if it's smooth it's all kinds of fucked up.
Is there anything else? Seems like this is a neglected area in Windows. Everything what I have tried always have one feature which is downright wrong...

>>106040273
Forgot to add: Luckily I had an older version of Windows Terminal but the very latest has all kinds of bloat what is useless - for example, integrated bing search. What the fuck? Microsoft is unable to deliver functional and simple software, they ALWAYS need to bloat up everything slowly until they become unusable trash.

>>106040298
>on today's episode of
>"windows common controls now have bing search and copilot integrated"
>this means every program that uses common controls (that is, almost every gui program) is teh bloated
Fuck off until you learn how an operating system works.

>>106040351
>thread schizo woke up
Please take your medicine and stop derailing this thread.

>>106040509
>yes im an retard
Why do you keep repeating yourself anon.

>>106040509
are the thread schizos in the room with us right now, anon?