Windows 11?

[fox]

Checking for Windows 10 updates on my Dell xps 13, a message popped up that I can now upgrade to Windows 11. Not that I use Windows much, do you think I should do the upgrade? I have a partition on that computer with an unlicensed copy of Windows 11. Seems to work OK, but I haven't put anything on it that it didn't come with.

[ssfc72]

I don'y know anything about how good/bad Win 11 is but why don't you save an image of yourDell XPS before you upgrade to Win 11.  Then you can reatore the Win 10 image if need be. Then, besides creating a Dell XPS Win 10 image, once the Win 11 is setup, do  a SSD image of it also. Then you can restore the Win 10 image and you will also have a Win11 image for later, if you at some time want to stay with Win11.

I use Rescuezilla for imaging my SSD's.

[Jason]

I don't know much about it to say what the advantages are. My computer doesn't even have Windows, period. But I always say the same thing to anyone asking about upgrading software (to a new version, not fixes) and it doubly applies to OS upgrades.

1. Is the present version still being updated? With an OS, particularly, you need security updates. In this case, I expect Windows 10 should still be supported for a few years.

2. Do you need new features in the upgrade?

3. Does the newer version support your older hardware and support your newer hardware equally or better?

Upgrades this serious should have good reasons to be upgraded. And unfortunately, I don't know what the newer features are or whether they'd be better for you than Windows 10. The other thing to think about is that the upgrade will probably be free for just a period of time. So keep an eye on when that ends if announced. Unless there's a compelling reason to not upgrade, you might as well at that point and save yourself the cash.

But what Bill said is a really good idea in any case. Then you can always do a rollback.


Update: I just remembered one feature that I thought sounded interesting, but not really a reason to upgrade, IMHO, is the new interface with a MacOS-like dock. Here's a thought, Microsoft, give people more than one choice of interface.

[fox]

Thanks, guys. I like Bill's idea of backup and restore, and might do that. One can actually do a backup and restore within Windows 11, but I believe you only have 10 days to do a restore that way, and given how little I use Windows (mostly to update itself and drivers, and to run a tax program once a year), 10 days wouldn't be enough time.

It's good that one doesn't have to get rid of 10 right now because it will be updated for years. What brought on the question in the first place is that, when I went to update Windows 10 the other day, an upgrade box appeared. After the update, that box no longer appeared.

[Jason]

EOL dates for Windows 10 are here. There are different OEL dates depending on the specific release version. To make it crystal clear, Microsoft says:

Microsoft will continue to support at least one Windows 10 release until October 14, 2025.

Microsoft has been known to extend their EOL a year or two.

Do you mean to say that a box offering an upgrade to Windows 11 appeared? If so, the box no longer appeared after the update because they nagged you enough for one day. When another update comes down the pipe, you'll probably be gently encouraged again.

[fox]

....
Do you mean to say that a box offering an upgrade to Windows 11 appeared? If so, the box no longer appeared after the update because they nagged you enough for one day. When another update comes down the pipe, you'll probably be gently encouraged again.

That's what I meant. Thanks.

[buster]

Both of my machines informed me politely that neither could be updated to Win11. They are getting long in the tooth.

[Jason]

Both of my machines informed me politely that neither could be updated to Win11. They are getting long in the tooth.

That's unusual they'd inform you at all. Microsoft isn't usually the bearer of bad news. I don't think you're going to miss much. But those computers may be dead by the time Windows 10 support ends. Or they may spawn another 'Adventures with an Old Computer" series if we're lucky.

[fox]

I think that this "Windows 11" information box is now standard when you go to check for Windows 10 updates. I've been seeing it for the past 3 months or so every time I check, which is once a month.

[Jason]

I think that this "Windows 11" information box is now standard when you go to check for Windows 10 updates. I've been seeing it for the past 3 months or so every time I check, which is once a month.

They probably see you as a user more likely to upgrade since you click to get your updates. I just let Windows handle it as it's the recommended method and a heck of a lot easier. Yes, I'm lazy.

Actually, now that I think of it, I only update Linux when it tells me there are updates. And I set it to be only notified once a week and to install security updates automatically. Life's too short.

[fox]

I went to update my Windows 10 on the xps and I saw the option, at the bottom of that window, to upgrade to Windows 11. I decided to take the plunge with the idea that I could test the few apps I actually need it for, and if there were problems, to downgrade right away to Windows 10. Turned out that there were no problems, and the Windows 11 interface is actually more attractive, in my opinion, than both Windows 10 and the Mac OS. (Though not more functional than the latter.) The only issue I found, vs Windows 10, is that the battery icon in the dock no longer has the option of displaying the amount of battery time remaining on a laptop. (There is a way of getting this information, but it's clunky and takes a few clicks.) I went online to see if I was missing something and I wasn't. Others are complaining about this loss of a feature and there is the expectation that MS will bring it back in a future upgrade.