I’ll soon be assembling a new PC and I need to figure out which version of Win 11 to use. I’ve not been able to find a good discussion of using IoT or LTSC for a “daily driver” gaming and productivity PC.
I’ll want to make use of a lot of Windows features like virtualization, the ability to run Android apps, and the Linux subsystem. I don’t need all the new feature updates immediately, but I also don’t want to be running an antique OS… Just a debloated one.
If you’ve navigated these waters I would love to hear about your experience.
I also don’t want to be running an antique OS… Just a debloated one.
This is not a Windows forum, so I feel justified in pointing out that in that case you should probably avoid Microsoft products entirely.
To run virtualization and and WSL in a debloated manner you may as well just dual boot Linux and Windows. It’ll remove so much headache that WSL creates.
Dual booting is well documented and you get the best of both worlds. If you later find it’s not for you then you just erase the Linux partitions and stick with windows
I just install Windows 11 Pro N, it comes with much less bloat than the normal Pro version. Then I run the Ameliorated playbook to get rid of most of the spyware and all the other junk. You can also run a script from privacy.sexy for good measure, but AME should handle most of it.
Just make sure to install the Windows Media Feature Pack from the “Optional features” dialog in the settings before running AME, because it might not be possible afterwards.New stuff to me, thank you!
Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC is hands down the best! A nearly naked fresh Windows install. Just Defender and Edge. And even then, a lot of the performance impacting Defender options are unavailable due to the W11 version.
It’s still my go to for gaming. Once it’s all set up, it just stays out of the way, and runs as lean as modern Windows can.
I highly, highly recommend adding StartAllBack on top of it. Makes the bottom toolbar much, much better.
I always use a single copy/paste Winget command to install nearly everything in one go, without needing any interaction for each install. Also allows updating installed programs with a single command.
Massgrave.dev for ISO’s and activation.
Edit: For some features, you have to be comfortable using Powershell as admin. I myself have to Powershell install 2 AppX packages before I can use Winget. If you go with this version feel free to message me for help.
I’m posting this from my new system, running 11 IoT LTSC as you and some others vouched for. It’s great, whatever IoT LTSC is missing, I haven’t needed any of it yet!
Getting the store and winget installed was easy enough, too. I’m very pleased.
Thank you kindly for the confirmation. I’ll check out StartAllBack too.
If you guys don’t want to use command lines, get uniget ui, it’s a really nice interface for winget
uniget ui
Juat grabbed it, looks great!
Wants to run a ‘debloated OS’ and asking about Windows 11 installation advice. Wut?? Litteraly no reason to be running Windows nowadays. You can game on GNU/Linux just fine and if you really need something Windows specific you can always run it through Wine (with Bottles for instance) or in a Windows VM (if you have a gaming PC then you 100% have a powerfull enough computer for virtualisation).
Linux Mint, of course!
That’s not what was asked.
And yet, it’s still the right answer
most debian based distros are good…
I use CachyOS on my gaming rig and it has been outstanding. The only ting that doesn’t work is the EA app.
CachyOS
Games from fit girl works??? thanks
I don’t know about fitgirl specifically, I don’t actually pirate a lot of games.
LTSC is extremely feasible for gaming and productivity. As Codilingus already said, you can get the ISO and activation from MASSGRAVE’s site.
Depending on your requirements, you’ll probably quickly figure out you need MS Store for one thing or another (the inconvenience of having pretty much everything removed) so you’ll need a tool like this to install the store and, you can use Chris Titus’ Wintool to turn off the spyware. It also has a program downloader built in with a long list of useful software to help speed up your initial setup process.
Thanks to the two of you I tried 11 IoT LTSC and it’s been great. I had no problems adding the store as you suggested. The Titus tool I already knew, it delivers.
Thanks again for encouraging me to give it a try.
Glad I could be of help
Bookmarked this for myself later. THANK YOU!
Nice to see someone not just shitting on Windows.
Nobody WANTS to use Windows, but I also don’t want to fiddle with 17 different options and 12 builds of Wine to trick my one program I need to run on Linux.
Glad I could help.
I have to agree, I can’t say I like or want to use Windows but my experiences of random, unexplainable glitches, numerous hours of forum spelunking and the ever-present arrogant smarminess of a sizeable portion of the Linux userbase tell me which flavor of pain I prefer.
It’s the reason I dual boot, really. I periodically check to see if the programs I do want to use that work best on Windows work any better on Linux and it definitely gets better every time I check, but it’s just not there 100 percent yet.
And blaming users for no reason than Microsoft is a terrible corporation and how dare anyone use it is an awful tactic to get people to switch.
I believe the Steam Deck has done more for running Windows programs on Linux than any other singular project (in terms of mainstream adoption, obviously Wine/Proton is the reason that even works) and they accomplished it by working WITH developers stuck on developing for Windows. Not by just telling those devs how awful they are and if they’re looking for a half measure they can take to switch to Linux, they’re on the wrong game store or whatever other response they’ve given.
