Anybody using Win 11?

[Dave Labrecque]

Ian,

+1 on the idea of going with LTSC.

I would await Dell's confirmation, but my understanding is that there is no upgrade path from an existing installation. You wipe your boot drive, then install LTSC. This is the preferred approach for moving to a new OS, anyway, no? Yes, doing it this way will require you to install all programs, do your audio-optimized configuring, etc., from the ground up.

>>The license available is for Win 10 Enterprise LTSC 2019. I found and downloaded 2021. Will that work?<<

Yes. This is the version I have. I was going to tell you that it's the latest version, but I see, now, that a 2021 LTSC was released last month. @Dell: would this be useful in any way to folks already using LTSC 2019?

Worth doing now? Maybe not if you're fairly happy with your current experience.

I now see that others have already answered you on these points. Please disregard the preceding.

[Cary B. Cornett]

Ian,

+1 on the idea of going with LTSC.

I would await Dell's confirmation, but my understanding is that there is no upgrade path from an existing installation. You wipe your boot drive, then install LTSC.

I'm going to disagree here. If your boot drive is an SSD, pull it and set it aside as a sort of emergency backup, put in a fresh new SSD, and install to that. If your present boot drive is a spinner, pull it, put in an SSD boot drive to do your fresh install to that, then put your spinner back in so that you have access to its old files. The only exception I made to this is with my laptop, as there is only one drive slot. The SSD in it had a separate data partition, which I left as was, and I wiped the boot partition to do a fresh install of LTSC and all of my programs.

The point is, I don't wipe an existing boot drive unless I have to.

[Dave Labrecque]

I'm going to disagree here.

Yes, I saw that after I posted. Hadn't thought of that. It's a cool approach.

My intended point was to do a fresh OS install rather than an upgrade from an existing one (which I don't think is even possible with LTSC)—not so much the keeping-and-wiping-the-same-drive angle. But I appreciate your clarification on that point, Cary. Your approach sounds like a smart one.

Alas, whenever I've tried to move my Windows data folders to a different partition or drive in the past, new data folders eventually, spontaneously appear and fill themselves on the boot drive thereafter. Not sure how to work around that.

[Ian Alexander]

I think I misused the term "upgrade".

My question arose from a notice on the site with a version of Win 10 LTSC that said there was no upgrade path from Win 10 Home to LTSC. I was wondering if I need to pay for a migration from Win 10 Home to Win 10 Pro and from there to Win 10 LTSC. I think the term upgrade implied that I wanted to maintain some vestiges of the Win 10 Home system. I am willing to start from a fresh install of OS and all software - and I agree that a clean start can be a very good idea.

But a couple of questions remain:

Can I install Win 10 LTSC 2021 with a key for Win 10 LTSC 2019?

Does anyone here have a preference for LTSC 2021 or 2019?

Thanks,

[cgrafx]

I think I misused the term "upgrade".

My question arose from a notice on the site with a version of Win 10 LTSC that said there was no upgrade path from Win 10 Home to LTSC. I was wondering if I need to pay for a migration from Win 10 Home to Win 10 Pro and from there to Win 10 LTSC. I think the term upgrade implied that I wanted to maintain some vestiges of the Win 10 Home system. I am willing to start from a fresh install of OS and all software - and I agree that a clean start can be a very good idea.

But a couple of questions remain:

Can I install Win 10 LTSC 2021 with a key for Win 10 LTSC 2019?

Does anyone here have a preference for LTSC 2021 or 2019?

Thanks,

LTSC 2021 has only been recently released in the last month. I haven't found anybody offering 2021 LTSC licenses. I don't believe you can use 2019 licenses for anything other than 2019 installations. I know for a fact that the 2016 LTSC license does not work with 2019 LTSC, and that the 2016 branch will not upgrade to the 2019 branch by itself. There maybe some method to force an upgrade, but I know it won't do so by itself.

[mr_es335]

Good day,

cgrafx is correct in all his assertions.

My suppler has stated in the past that he obtains LTSC licenses generally in May and November.

This fellow only deals with corporate clients, so I have just contacted him to confirm.

Will keep you all updated.

UPDATE!: WIN10 LTSC 2019 is still available...approx. $20.00US. Amongst the various iterations of WIN10...I see no need/reason to wait. Also, and i cannot confirm/deny this point, but LTSC's are apparently "good" for three years...so LTSC 2021 should be made available in 2022.

[Tim Miskimon]

Oh My God I just built a new studio machine last year and was forced to use Windows 10.
It took months to sort out minor glitches and to get Windows 10 to stop stepping on my sessions while doing it's behind the scenes chaos.
I don't let this machine ever see the internet unless I'm forced to upgrade a program or plugin I'm using.
The thought of Windows 11 makes me cringe.
Since Microsoft's support of Windows 10 goes on until 2025 I can't find even one good reason to mess with my studio machine.
I'd rather eat glass or walk over hot coal than go through that torture so soon after doing it last year.
Happy New Year to everyone!

[Dave Labrecque]

UPDATE (?)

I just noticed that UA is supporting Windows 11, and UA forum posts from even August of last year are indicating higher performance with both ASIO and WDM drivers, IIUC. FWIW. YMMV.

[mr_es335]

Dave,

I just noticed that UA is supporting Windows 11, and UA forum posts from even August of last year are indicating higher performance with both ASIO and WDM drivers...

... OKAY! I really do not have any desire to "burst anyone's bubble"....but..."What if!"...someone...

1. ...used a system built on an XP platform
2. ...performed shows for over 2 years without a single system failure

Does this not account for something?

I am presently running a 2nd Gen i5, WIN7 Pro, 8GBs RAM, 500GB SSD - multi-partitioned, using an RME HDSP9632 and am able to run that system at 1x32 with 15 instances of Overloud's TH-U, 2 guitars with FX, a single mic with FX, with a 28% system load - and had that system running for 48+ hours all without incident!

So what would be the advantage for me to move to WIN11?

Just curious!

[cgrafx]

Dave,
... OKAY! I really do not have any desire to "burst anyone's bubble"....but..."What if!"...someone...

1. ...used a system built on an XP platform
2. ...performed shows for over 2 years without a single system failure

Does this not account for something?

I am presently running a 2nd Gen i5, WIN7 Pro, 8GBs RAM, 500GB SSD - multi-partitioned, using an RME HDSP9632 and am able to run that system at 1x32 with 15 instances of Overloud's TH-U, 2 guitars with FX, a single mic with FX, with a 28% system load - and had that system running for 48+ hours all without incident!

So what would be the advantage for me to move to WIN11?

Just curious!

As long as that system does what you need it to do, then there is no reason to upgrade.

However, it will limit the VST and other software options you have available as WinXP is not supported by anybody these days. Additionally if you want to move to 64-bit the landscape for support at some point is going to force a move to Win10/11.

Additionally if you need to upgrade to newer motherboard/CPU hardware you will also be forced to move to Win10/11.