Microsoft is refusing to let me update an older (Thinkpad T460) laptop to the most recent version of Windows 10 (it won't run Windows 11 at all, which is fine since I don't want to use it).
Install/upgrade fails every time with obscure error codes that defy troubleshooting.
Next step: Ubuntu 22.04, which is the most recent version of that Linux flavor and works great on older hardware.
Note: I've been running Linux as my primary OS for more than a decade...
@dangillmor I mention this just as a data point: Apple is very aggressive about dropping older hardware but there’s an Open Source firmware patch available that makes it possible to install newer OSes on quite old hardware. It’s a little janky but at the same time handy. It’s interesting that the newer OSes run fine on the older devices. Dropping support is a choice they’ve made. (Maybe there’s something like this for Windows)
I recently had to set up a laptop for a friend whose company has to use Windows 11. After all these years without Windows, I almost despaired at the hurdles of installing it at all and by the time I was finally finished, with all the updates etc., it took almost 5 hours.
The same laptop without a hard disk, only with RAM via Linux boot stick, was fully operational in 3 minutes and much faster and more pleasant.
@dangillmor i was going to make the ubuntu suggestion but you’re already there. I am about 2 weeks into experimenting moving my main work laptop to ubuntu studio. Its an old pos dell. So far its going very well. I’ve yet to hit a snag or find something that didn’t work. It’s far easier and more friendly than my experiments with it years ago.
I am all for linux and especially linux without systemd (the next worst thing to MS-win)
But if for some reason you must sill be able to boot to win then using a separate disk and install from 0 shouldn't be a problem. If you have a 7-pro or above license choose w10-pro, or accordingly. The license is embeded in a chip inside, pretty much anything 4th gen intel and above have it.
No sticker! It will activate automatically after 1st boot, no need to provide license key.
@dangillmor Having a similar problem with my daughter's laptop. Upgraded to Win11 but now refusing to update. Obscure error codes. MS own update tool suggesting the laptop can't be upgraded to Win 11, which is obvs BS.
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