I'm in the middle of replacing workstations with new Windows 11 machines. At home, my desktop is W11 compatible, I haven't upgraded yet. I have another 5 computers to replace in the office, and I'm not exactly sure what I'm going to do with my home computers just yet. I have the ability to isolate them to another VLAN and/or limit outside access. I'm not exactly in the mood to spend a ton of money on computers.
OS poll thread.
- Thread starter W2JGA
- Start date
Probably Mint, although have tried numerous. As stated, I hate Windows and would prefer Linux but have never had much luck getting radio software to run on Linux using Wine for windows apps and frankly not worth the time so I just keep a Windows laptop available.
Wife just upgraded her laptop to 11, so I can use that as backup also. Otherwise, rest of my machines are Ubuntu Pro.
I have an old HP ML350 G6 server running Pfsense as a firewall for the house.
Blackswan73
Active Member
One tip for anyone purchasing a new Windows 11 PC. Most of the new PCs sold by the big box stores are sold with Windows 11 installed in “S” or safe mode. This means that you can only install software that is available on the Microsoft store app. In other words, software like ProScan, Sentinel, EZscan,etc. are not going to be able to be installed with Windows in S mode. You have to switch Windows out of S mode to install most 3rd party software. This is easy to do but is non-reversible
B.S.
B.S.
Well, that's BS.
Yes, I had to do this on one for a friend, although my current Asus came without S mode. Another example why I hate Windows😩
BinaryMode
Blondie Once Said To Call Her But Never Answerd
I stripped the crap out of Windows 10 with AtlasOS. AtlasOS is a series of scripts that run from their playbook implementation.
It WILL disable updates and system restore, but system restore can be turned back on. AtlasOS is NOT for everyone but suits me just fine. I run my ship differently and don't pay homage to the patch Tuesday god so updates don't mean anything to me unless I need an update for software or hardware needs. I haven't paid attention to updates since I used Windows 98se. And I've never been magically hacked by some hoodie wearing hacker either or got a virus. Well, Window 98se was my first OS ever and I didn't know anything about computers back then and was installing all sorts of crap and got a virus. At the time I was running AVG no less (everyone's favorite go-to anti-virus crap back in the before times). Today I use no privacy invading updates that do more harm than good or privacy invading anti-virus software (how do you think it protects your web traffic? It's a man in the middle). I mostly use Sandboxie classic for my browser's and scan ALL public downloads at VirusTotal (sometimes images and videos if I can) or check the SHA256 hash at VirusTotal via the right click context menu since 7Zip implements SHA256 hash checking. That's MY personal way of checking for malware. The general consensus is 4 hits and you toss, but it depends on what you have there and knowing how to read YARA rules, Relations and Behaviors offered at VirusTotal. Don't ever scan personal data at VirusTotal. For one, people can buy the API at VirusTotal and see what's been uploaded for research purposes. Two, I once uploaded a canary token at VirusTotal and saw 95% of the hits were from China and Russia. Go figure.
Windows 7 was a fine OS and my two computers that run 24/7 run Windows 7. My older laptop also runs Windows 7. I always liked XP though, it just needed to be refined, but instead Microsoft changes everything for the wrong reason and bloats the hell out of the OS, rather than fixing things. They still to this day use core components that are in older Windows OSs. Windows 8 though 11 are meant for tablets!
If you don't run a stripped down version of Windows 10 or 11 and block the remainder traffic in Pi Hole via a Cloudflare Teams upstream DNS or NextDNS, run a network sniffer like Wireshark or Nirsoft's SmartSniff and be amazed at how much crap, yes crap is pouring out of your computer. No longer is it a PC (Personal Computer). And the "My Computer icon? It's now "This Computer." You see, Epstein Island wild Bill and his company don't think you have a My Computer anymore, it's just This computer and you're now the Redmond cash cow. Now mind you this telemetry is pouring out of your doctor's office and dentist's office computers as well. Just sit there and stare at that Dell Optiplex or thin client and wonder: "Is HIPPA all that's cracked up to be? Especially when hackers and data brokers thieve the data? Let alone Redmond or the Feds.
TPM, special micorcode strapped CPUs... Yeah, that's BS. Next thing you know they'll embed AI in the chip along with the baseband processor. Oh wait...
Why, I remember a time when people were up in arms over BIOS having a unique identifier in circa 1995. Today? HA! The people are MASSIVELY complaisant. Especially when I see everyone hang their arm out the window with cellphone in hand at McCrap scanning that awesome QR code... And who ever thought it be a wise idea to use a phone number to buy groceries?! I digress.
OSs I run:
Stripped down Winblows 10.
Windows 7.
OpenBSD for the firewall/router in OPNsense. (Got tired of beta DD-WRT and ASUS Merlin).
And many Linux distros and whatnot in VMware Player.
For those wanting to move away from Windows, I hear Linux Mint is better in that regard. Never messed with it. Also, you can use the GUI TwisterOS. Twister OS
Merry Easter.
It WILL disable updates and system restore, but system restore can be turned back on. AtlasOS is NOT for everyone but suits me just fine. I run my ship differently and don't pay homage to the patch Tuesday god so updates don't mean anything to me unless I need an update for software or hardware needs. I haven't paid attention to updates since I used Windows 98se. And I've never been magically hacked by some hoodie wearing hacker either or got a virus. Well, Window 98se was my first OS ever and I didn't know anything about computers back then and was installing all sorts of crap and got a virus. At the time I was running AVG no less (everyone's favorite go-to anti-virus crap back in the before times). Today I use no privacy invading updates that do more harm than good or privacy invading anti-virus software (how do you think it protects your web traffic? It's a man in the middle). I mostly use Sandboxie classic for my browser's and scan ALL public downloads at VirusTotal (sometimes images and videos if I can) or check the SHA256 hash at VirusTotal via the right click context menu since 7Zip implements SHA256 hash checking. That's MY personal way of checking for malware. The general consensus is 4 hits and you toss, but it depends on what you have there and knowing how to read YARA rules, Relations and Behaviors offered at VirusTotal. Don't ever scan personal data at VirusTotal. For one, people can buy the API at VirusTotal and see what's been uploaded for research purposes. Two, I once uploaded a canary token at VirusTotal and saw 95% of the hits were from China and Russia. Go figure.
Windows 7 was a fine OS and my two computers that run 24/7 run Windows 7. My older laptop also runs Windows 7. I always liked XP though, it just needed to be refined, but instead Microsoft changes everything for the wrong reason and bloats the hell out of the OS, rather than fixing things. They still to this day use core components that are in older Windows OSs. Windows 8 though 11 are meant for tablets!
If you don't run a stripped down version of Windows 10 or 11 and block the remainder traffic in Pi Hole via a Cloudflare Teams upstream DNS or NextDNS, run a network sniffer like Wireshark or Nirsoft's SmartSniff and be amazed at how much crap, yes crap is pouring out of your computer. No longer is it a PC (Personal Computer). And the "My Computer icon? It's now "This Computer." You see, Epstein Island wild Bill and his company don't think you have a My Computer anymore, it's just This computer and you're now the Redmond cash cow. Now mind you this telemetry is pouring out of your doctor's office and dentist's office computers as well. Just sit there and stare at that Dell Optiplex or thin client and wonder: "Is HIPPA all that's cracked up to be? Especially when hackers and data brokers thieve the data? Let alone Redmond or the Feds.
TPM, special micorcode strapped CPUs... Yeah, that's BS. Next thing you know they'll embed AI in the chip along with the baseband processor. Oh wait...
Why, I remember a time when people were up in arms over BIOS having a unique identifier in circa 1995. Today? HA! The people are MASSIVELY complaisant. Especially when I see everyone hang their arm out the window with cellphone in hand at McCrap scanning that awesome QR code... And who ever thought it be a wise idea to use a phone number to buy groceries?! I digress.
OSs I run:
Stripped down Winblows 10.
Windows 7.
OpenBSD for the firewall/router in OPNsense. (Got tired of beta DD-WRT and ASUS Merlin).
And many Linux distros and whatnot in VMware Player.
For those wanting to move away from Windows, I hear Linux Mint is better in that regard. Never messed with it. Also, you can use the GUI TwisterOS. Twister OS
Merry Easter.
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