Newsletter Archives

• I installed Windows 11 24H2

  Posted on April 7, 2025 at 02:44 CDT by Will Fastie • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Will Fastie

  24H2 has been running on my laptop for some time so I can check things as required by my editorial duties. Last week, I decided that 24H2 needed to be under my fingers all the time, so I updated my daily driver, Obsidian.

  It went pretty well. I did break one of Susan’s rules; the result was at least a doubling of the time the update should have taken because I had to manually fix an unexpected problem.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.14.0, 2025-04-07).

  Windows 11 Drivers, File Explorer, Graphics Cards, Newsletters, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2

• Decisions to be made before moving to Windows 11

  Posted on April 7, 2025 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  TAME YOUR TECH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  I’ve been promising a step-by-step guide to help you migrate to Windows 11 as neatly and safely as possible. This isn’t it.

  I’m planning that for May, assuming the stress from tax season has dissipated and I can return fully to the Zen of Windows.

  This column is about the decisions you must make before you make the leap to Windows 11. After all, when you buy a new toaster you usually make sure it suits your needs.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.14.0, 2025-04-07).

  Tame Your Tech AI, LibreOffice, Microsoft Account, Microsoft Account Bypass, Migration, Newsletters, OpenShell, Patch Lady Posts, Start11, Thunderbird, Windows 11, WordPerfect Office

• Reviewing your licensing options

  Posted on March 31, 2025 at 02:45 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  

  ISSUE 22.13 • 2025-03-31

  TAME YOUR TECH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  Can you get a license for that?

  With the upcoming end of life of Windows 10, I’m often asked why I’m not recommending that you look for and install the long-term servicing channel (LTSC) version of Windows 10 or Windows 11.

  LTSC is a version of Windows 10 that was designed for devices that require minimal changes over time. It is primarily used in environments where stability and consistency are crucial, such as medical devices or industrial machinery. It is not available to the public and can be purchased only through volume licensing. It’s a platform that is intentionally not bloated, and it comes with fewer pre-installed apps, such as Microsoft Store, Cortana, and Edge (until the 2021 version). While it gets regular security updates, it does not get feature releases.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.13.0, 2025-03-31).
  This story also appears in our public Newsletter.

  Tame Your Tech Adobe, Autopilot, Business Software Alliance, Intune, Licensing, LTSC, Microsoft, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, Software, Windows 11

• What Windows 11 24H2 offers beyond bugs

  Posted on March 31, 2025 at 02:43 CDT by Lance Whitney • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Lance Whitney

  If you can get past the persistent glitches, the 2024 flavor of Windows 11 does have some interesting and helpful new features.

  I’d long resisted updating my main laptop to Windows 11 24H2. Though I’d been running this version on a couple of virtual machines, I didn’t want to put one of my core PCs through the ringer. And that’s because Windows 24H2 had been plagued by bugs almost since its official release last October.

  Most major Windows updates are beset with glitches here and there. Before an official rollout of a new version, Microsoft strives to find as many flaws as possible through internal reviews and beta testing. But with so many different Windows PCs and environments in the world, finding every single problem or conflict is difficult — if not impossible.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.13.0, 2025-03-31).

  Windows 11 Camera, File Explorer, Newsletters, Sudo for Windows, Voice Clarity, Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi 7, Windows 11, Windows 11 24H2, Windows Narrator, Windows Spotlight

• Removing bypassnro

  Posted on March 28, 2025 at 15:00 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  We’re removing the bypassnro.cmd script from the build to enhance security and user experience of Windows 11. This change ensures that all users exit setup with internet connectivity and a Microsoft Account.

  Today, Microsoft announced that the Windows 11 Insider Build (26200.5516) had been released to the Dev channel. The nugget quoted above is mentioned in that Windows Blog post.

  What’s it about? “Bypass” refers to the methods we’ve used in the past to avoid using a Microsoft account when installing Windows Home edition. It’s being removed.

  Does this bother you? If so, it’s time to get into that feedback hub and make your voice heard. Unfortunately, you may not be able to do so, at least for the moment. Use this link, which will prompt you to open the Feedback Hub app on your PC and sign in. Microsoft may tell you that “Your account doesn’t have access to this feedback.” That happened to me on a 23H2 PC, but I was able to get there on a PC running 24H2.

  Update: Click on the social media post by Will Dormann and the resulting responses. They removed the built in command file, they did not remove the ability to bypass it. You can just type in the commands by hand and still get around the mandate for a Microsoft account.

  Windows 11 Dev Channel, KB5054687, Patch Lady Posts, Windows 11, Windows Insider Preview

• Where is Windows going?

  Posted on March 28, 2025 at 03:00 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  When Microsoft started down the road of continuous improvements, it resulted in constant change that can annoy everyone — from end users to IT administrators. When I’m asked, “What’s this,” I must see the desktop to know what the person is talking about. They’re obviously seeing it, but I may never have seen in on my PCs.

  Yesterday, in the Windows IT Pro blog, Microsoft announced its Windows Roadmap. It covers only Windows 11 23H2 and 24H2. It promises to show when something is in preview, whether it’s a slow rollout, or is in general release. It provides estimated dates.

  When that odd thing shows up, perhaps the Roadmap can help all of us figure out whether Windows was always like that, or the odd thing is new. I suppose we can hope.

  Windows 11 Microsoft, Patch Lady Posts, road map, Windows 11

• Planning ahead for migration

  Posted on March 24, 2025 at 02:42 CDT by Susan Bradley • Comment in the Forums

  TAME YOUR TECH

  

  By Susan Bradley

  March 20, last Thursday, was the spring equinox. For me, that means I start planning ahead for gardening season.

  I’ll review seed catalogs and study how things worked out last year. Making a plan well ahead of turning that first bit of soil is essential for me, and I put it all on paper. From determining how much fertilizer and mulch I need to computing compost density and selecting the best seeds for this year, I want that plan.

  Okay, I know that as Will was editing this column, he was asking himself, “What the heck is she talking about? This is a tech newsletter!” I’ll explain.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.12.0, 2025-03-24).

  Tame Your Tech Apple, Business insurance, Cyber insurance, Linux, Migration, Mint, Newsletters, Patch Lady Posts, PC Upgrades, Windows 10, Windows 10 ESU, Windows 11

• Windows Settings today

  Posted on March 17, 2025 at 02:43 CDT by Simon Bisson • Comment in the Forums

  WINDOWS 11

  

  By Simon Bisson

  Windows Settings today is a mix of old and new.

  Windows settings applications across the years, from DOS to Windows 11, comprise a history of what were, at the time, logical decisions about how to manage and group settings, opening them up to third parties, and then freezing them as part of Microsoft’s commitment to backward compatibility.

  We’re now in a position where we have not one, not two, not three, but four different settings applications, each with different user interfaces.

  Read the full story in our Plus Newsletter (22.11.0, 2025-03-17).

  Windows 11 Advanced Settings, Command Line, Control Panel, Newsletters, Remote Assistance, Remote Desktop, System Center, Windows 10, Windows 11, Windows Management Interface, Windows Settings
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