When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
This thread is to assist members in upgrading from Windows 10>Windows 11. I'll provide as much information as possible - in particular the most important and difficult aspects of the upgrade process.
Please keep this thread on track by providing assistance & asking for assistance as it relates to the Windows 10>Windows 11 upgrade process - ONLY.
Please DO NOT post comments which create an atmosphere of dissension and division among members i.e. Apple is better, UNIX is better, Linux is better, Microsoft sucks, Windows sucks, I like Windows 3.5, Windows 7, Microsoft doesn't get it - etc. ad nauseam, ad infinitum.
This thread is for assisting members who want the assistance and help required to make the transition as painless as possible.
Thank you.
If you are unaware Microsoft is providing a free upgrade from Windows 10>Windows 11 please use your favorite search engine to learn more information pertaining to the Windows 10>Windows 11 OS (Operating System) upgrade & time line. I'll provide some basic information, but I'd like to remain on track by addressing questions & issues members have regarding the upgrade "process" itself.
If you have received a notification your device is eligible for a free Windows 10>Windows 11 upgrade the first piece of information you'll want to know is does your system meet the hardware & software requirements for the upgrade. Many users will have already received statements indicating their system does not meet the requirements (this is where this thread can provide assistance); others, will receive statements indicating their system meets requirements. Even systems which meet requirements, some members may still have questions; and, we should collectively attempt to assist one another in resolving issues.
To make this as informative as possible, the very first pieces of information you'll need is to establish what requirements your system does not meet for the upgrade - in clear, discernible language (at least as simple as possible). This may lead to further questions, but that's what this thread is about.
It's the best source for gaining an understanding of requirements which your device may have failed to meet for the upgrade. It's simple, it's fast, and it's straight forward.
The two most likely candidates requiring the most assistance are:
NOTE: Your device (PC, etc.) MUST be TPM & Secure Boot compliant (capable). There are no ifs and or buts - it's a fact.
The newest PCs (laptops, tablets, etc.) may be TPM & Secure Boot compliant. I cannot state what "newest" represents and/or how old a PC would generally need to be in order to be TPM & Secure Boot non-compliant. But, you'll find out if you are or you are not compliant by running the PC HEALTHCHECK APP.
In order for ANY PC to be Secure Boot compliant, your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) must support UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) - this was a requirement for Windows 10 installation. So, if you're running Windows 10 you are UEFI compliant. But, here's the catch.
Window 11 requires UEFI to be enabled. You cannot boot into the OS (Operating System) unless the PC boots from a UEFI compliant BIOS. Therefore, if you are running Windows 10, you have a UEFI BIOS. The catch (again), will be to enable UEFI.
This is where it gets more cumbersome for many end-users - but hang in there (if you're still planning to upgrade).
In order to enable Windows 11 to boot from UEFI, the disk partition which contains the OS must be formatted with GPT (GUID [Globally Unique Identifier] Partition Table). A normal 'basic' HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is formatted with a MBR (Master Boot Record) recognized by the BIOS (as legacy) but not compliant with the ability to boot from a UEFI device because the BIOS is configured to boot from the MBR. The conundrum (for many end-users) is going to be the ability to convert their current basic HDD from MBR to GPT.
There is a free command utility incorporated in Windows 10 which provides the ability to convert a basic HDD using MBR to the GPT format.
There do exist other methods to perform this conversion. This conversion utility (file) represented by the embedded link above (MBR2GPT.EXE) is most likely the safest and most straightforward. It's free, it's contained in the Windows 10 OS and if you run it as stated, it will safely provide a test before you run the command. You will not lose any data on your HDD - it is a conversion utility.
Once your PC HDD is formatted GPT, you can then enable TPM & Secure Boot.
EDIT: In my attempt to make this as germane as possible I referred to converting your HDD from MBR>GPT. That is not correct. You are (instead) only converting the Volume where the MBR resides. For many, many end-users they will have one HDD with one Volume (and many won't understand what a Volume represents).
Last edited by Vintage Chief; October 13th, 2021 at 11:06 PM.
Reason: HDD>Volume; fixed missing embedded links
I would ask what are the advantages of Win11 over Win10?
Randy - I hate to provide you a link to address your question (it is not a cop out). I have read numerous consumer end-user articles and I have read some deep dive articles which address the security of Windows 11. I am far more knowledgeable regarding the security aspects of Windows 11 than I am with the GUI (Graphical User Interface) aspects of the OS - the stuff MS suggests helps make improvements by providing this & that widget, interface, interlacing, support, gaming, etc.
As an end-user myself, I'm not into gaming, I'm not particularly interested in widgets, gadgets, new desktop themes, laptop, tablet interfacing, etc. I'm more of a h/w & s/w compatibility end-user who wants to achieve the best performance from h/w & s/w as new h/w products and new s/w products are released. I'm more interested in compatibility should I elect to upgrade my GPU (Graphics Processing Unit [graphics card]), my HDD, monitor, mouse, keyboard, WiFi, network card, etc. This is important to me because all h/w & s/w vendors work together with all OS vendors to achieve a desirable compatibility so when they release new products to the market they operate on various OS's as engineered & designed.
My personal perspective is understanding the security upgrades contained in Windows 11, the history behind those upgrades and the ability to address security issues as they have related to piracy, ransomware, privacy and security threats for not only MS but the industry as a whole. So, I come from it with a mildly different perspective.
In a nutshell (is that possible at this point?), the security upgrade in Windows 11 is SIGNIFICANT in helping to usher in more advanced methods to better secure the OS, and the end-user's privacy. I think the widgets, gadgets, desktop themes & "stuff" are selling features (for some) which I honestly have no interest in personally, but I attempt to keep abreast of it all.
Users might not see the Windows 11 Update Information. To find that information (quickly) follow the following. This is also the manner in which you can find Updates for Windows at any time. There are several ways to get to Windows "Settings" - choose the best way for you or follow the images & dialog below. You can also "Search" for "Settings".
Settings>Update & Security>
Windows Logo - Right Click Left Click - Settings Left click - Update & Security Windows 11 Information should appear. This is also how to check Windows Update at any time.
I ran the PC health check and I got all green checkmarks with the message my 2 year old laptop is ready for and supports Win 11. Does the PC check app determine if I still need to check for the GPT formatting, TPM and Secure Boot issues? Or should I be safe with a straight up Win 11 upgrade? I admit I'm not a computer genius.
Here's what Microsoft says your computer needs to run Win 11, but doesn't tell you the meat and potatoes on what to do if you need to tweak your other stuff as Vintage Chief lays out above. Windows 11 Specs and System Requirements | Microsoft
Does the PC check app determine if I still need to check for the GPT formatting, TPM and Secure Boot issues? Or should I be safe with a straight up Win 11 upgrade?
PC HEALTH CHECK already checked GPT formatting on your PC. You can't enable Secure Boot unless the HDD Volume is already GPT; albeit, you were already GPT. You're ready to upgrade W10>W11.
Computer manufacturers have begun shipping Windows 11 Ready computers - some are available in stores & on-line (in case you are considering purchase of a new computer). Computer devices (i.e. graphics [GPU] cards, network adapters, modems, CPU, etc.) have also begun to ship and are labeled Windows 11 Ready.
The Windows 11 free upgrade will be around awhile - MS expects the rollout will continue through mid-2022. If you haven't been notified, or if you don't find any statements regarding you do or you don't meet system requirements, you have plenty of time to get the free upgrade. It will take this amount of time for the Windows Update process (robot) to evaluate your machine (automatically).
If you're computer savvy and eager to Download Windows 11 any time during the free upgrade process, you have the option to install Windows 11 before the Windows Update process (robot) evaluates the health of your computer. Run PC HEALTH CHECK APP prior to any attempt to install Windows 11. Download & run Windows 11 Installation Assistant.
You will see the following statement if your computer is ready to run Windows 11. See Post #5 if you're unsure where these statements appear (Settings>Update & Security).
This is the statement you receive when your PC is ready for Windows 11 to be installed. See Post #5 above (#5) if you are unfamiliar with locating Windows Update dialog box(es).
This statement (below) is contained in several articles, but in case you pushed it aside, glanced over it or paid it no attention - you must have a Microsoft Account in order to Upgrade Windows 10 to Windows 11. There's nothing mysterious, you need the account in order to facilitate movement of your files to Microsoft cloud services for storage, recovery (should you need it), and to download your original files back onto your computer during the upgrade process. This process employs Microsoft Azure (Microsoft's public cloud computing), formerly known as Windows Azure.
Windows 11 Home edition requires internet connectivity and a Microsoft account.
My experience performing Windows 10>Windows 11 Upgrade was entirely seamless. I experienced not one single issue. The Upgrade process took a total of ~1 hr to complete on my system.
UPDATE: Many of the known issues and notifications won't apply in North America and in particular to the average (non-business/non-commercial) end-user. None-the-less, I'm providing the latest link URL (01/05/2022).
Microsoft increased their time-line (rate of release) for the free Windows 10>Windows 11 upgrade (evidently because things are/were progressing smoother than initially expected).
As always, ensure you have the latest (most up-to-date) h/w drivers and s/w running on your Windows 11 OS device. Check the Windows Update after upgrading Windows 10>Windows 11 to ensure you are up-to-date (see Post #5).
If you are upgrading from W10>W11 wait until the next release build if your computer uses an AMD CPU, which is expected sometime this month (2022 February). If you are a "gamer" do not upgrade from W10>W11 as there have been numerous issues using the AMD CPU chip. A key Windows 11 security feature is causing AMD performance issues
There is an issue with the TPM module encryption attestation on computers using the AMD CPU chipset software. If you are running any other CPU (e.g. Intel) you can consider W11 stable for normal end-user workloads. As already stated, hold-off until the next build release if you're running an AMD CPU (in particular if you're a gamer). Be prepared to have system crashes when gaming using AMD CPU.
Any computer employing an Intel CPU purchased with W11 already installed can be considered stable.
There have been nine (9) release builds of W11 since public release (2021-10-05). W11 original release build = 22000.194; current release build = 22000.469 (2022-01-25). Windows 11 release information
There have been fifteen (15) W11 known issues resolved thus far. Resolved issues in Windows 11
Who's the Win10 expert here? I need some help disabling driver signatures, so I can hook to my fitech. It works for a few (10-15) seconds, then starts acting stupid.
I've done the F7 reboot, installed the right drivers, and run the program as administrator. Something still ain't right. I'll be messing with it today.
Who's the Win10 expert here? I need some help disabling driver signatures, so I can hook to my fitech. It works for a few (10-15) seconds, then starts acting stupid.
I've done the F7 reboot, installed the right drivers, and run the program as administrator. Something still ain't right. I'll be messing with it today.
If you have 64-bit W10 OS installed you might have UEFI/TPM enabled, in which case there is a hard requirement forcing all drivers to meet Microsoft digital signature requirements (security requirement). The previous link I sent to you (Post #18) should resolve your issue; however, you may be required to disable TPM requirement for your s/w to work properly. The actual "issue" is most likely the W10 OS digital signature requirement causing the s/w to fail (as you most likely suspect). Here is another method (command line interface) to disable all non-certified digital drivers to be installed in case the link in Post #18 fails to address your issue.
NOTE: It may be necessary for you to first "uninstall" the current FiTech PC s/w driver, then disable digital signature, then re-install your FiTech PC s/w driver before you can get your s/w to load correctly - depends how the FiTech PC s/w was written.
If either of the above fail, you may have to completely disable TPM (again, I don't know how the FiTech PC s/w was written). Finally, if it appears everything is working you might review your COM settings, but the COM (communications) settings should normally work w/o issue. The COM interface is how the FiTech PC s/w communicates between devices e.g. handheld, PC, EFI module. Normally this should be a non-issue.
See the following and/or look for a more recent FiTech PC s/w forum perhaps.
Thanks, man. The link to the fitech board, last post is exactly where I'm at. Where can I find the TPM settings? I'll try uninstalling and reinstalling. I read somewhere that it could be a bad cable, too (USB ATI Mini-C).
I suggest you first disable digital signature requirement via either Post #8 or Post #9 links before you attempt to disable TPM. Remember, you may need to first "uninstall" the FiTech PC s/w, then disable driver signature, then reinstall the FiTech PC s/w I suspect you're going to find this will resolve the issue. You can disable TPM either in the BIOS or via W10 interface.
As I previously stated may be necessary for you to first "uninstall" the FiTech s/w before you disable the digital signature. This is because W10 most likely already recognizes the current FiTech s/w as incompatible (non-certified = non-authorized) digital driver certificate and simply disabling may not address the issue. The reason being the s/w is already installed and disabling the digital signature requirement by itself my not address the issue. When you install any driver into any OS (UNIX, Apple, Microsoft, Linux, etc.) the driver is loaded into the driver "stack", so when the OS boots, one of the very first steps an OS takes is to load the "driver stack" so the OS loads correctly. Again, you may need to first uninstall the FiTech s/w, disable digital signatures, then reinstall the FiTech s/w. What should happen is the FiTech s/w driver signature should have been tested by FiTech, sent to each OS manufacturer (UNIX, Linux, Apple, Microsoft, etc.) and the digital signature "certified" as compliant. This is the normal pathway for all driver signatures on all operating systems.
If after this, you can try disabling the TPM in the link I provided via the W10 interface, or clear/disable TPM in the BIOS.
It would help to monitor what's happening each time you load/unload/install/uninstall devices & s/w so as to gain a possible insight as to what may be failing - pay attention to the "time stamp" as you perform each operation - uninstall/install, etc. esp. after a reboot. Once you get into the Event Viewer open the Windows Logs>Application & System Events to see if you can gain some insight as a possible source of error.
I have my own fish to fry but as a final suggestion, ensure you have the K-9 driver installed and you have most likely followed this tutorial. My only other suggestion is to get back to square one and do the complete installation all over again. Sometimes it's the small stuff. Good Luck.
I think I got it. Did all as recommended after purging a bunch of crap programs (now called "apps"), ran CCleaner a few times with registry scan. Seems to be working, but got sidetracked by the wife. I'll get back on it later.
Hopefully you resolved the issue. Obviously, I can't speak to following explicit directions during the install, but often times it's simple stuff: (1) Load the "correct" K-9 driver (e.g. x64-bit as opposed to an x86 [x32-bit]); (2) Disable AV s/w during installation of the s/w. Good Luck. In a very simple statement you should not have to disable ANY digital driver-signature for the FiTech s/w driver. This is an issue with the FiTech driver - it's that simple. FiTech has not developed a W10 or greater driver and that's their issue. What they are asking you to do by disabling digital driver-signatures is placing your PC at risk for MANY other drivers you may attempt to load onto your PC in the future. Albeit, I caution you to beware moving forward - you accept full risk/responsibility for any/all third-party drivers which are not authorized/certified on the W10+ OS since you just disabled all drivers from meeting certified/authorized installation requirements. Good luck.
Thanks for your help. I don't do much on the machine, just internet and fitech, really. It's old; wiping out all those programs sped it up a great deal.
As far as the driver's, well, that's fitech for ya- cheapest possible.
Yes, going through and eliminating ancient drivers, s/w you never (rarely) use, etc., etc. changing size of paging file, disabling certain startup programs and updating all the devices to the newest latest & greatest drivers is often put on back burner for many folks. Good for you on updating whatever you can on your PC.
Yes, that is correct. See my previous posts, but in particular Post #13 - you need a MIcrosoft account (you can easily create one). The reason for the MS account is because it moves all your current files (pictures, etc.) to the cloud, and then it moves your files back down from the cloud so you don't lose anything. MS is doing this to make it the easiest method for the greatest number of end-users because it's often not possible end-users have enough free storage space to save their files for the upgrade process; and, let's face it - many everyday end-users are not aware of how to find available storage on their own device (PC, laptop, tablet, etc.).
Yes, that is correct. See my previous posts, but in particular Post #13 - you need a MIcrosoft account (you can easily create one). The reason for the MS account is because it moves all your current files (pictures, etc.) to the cloud, and then it moves your files back down from the cloud so you don't lose anything. MS is doing this to make it the easiest method for the greatest number of end-users because it's often not possible end-users have enough free storage space to save their files for the upgrade process; and, let's face it - many everyday end-users are not aware of how to find available storage on their own device (PC, laptop, tablet, etc.).
So no matter how large my picture file is, they can handle it? I have likely 200,000 pictures on my computer. I save every picture from every part I have ever sold since 2009 and organized really well. Comes in really handy. I know nearly zero about computers. I was still using Vista till a year ago. I actually like that computer MUCH better than 10.
So no matter how large my picture file is, they can handle it? I have likely 200,000 pictures on my computer. I save every picture from every part I have ever sold since 2009 and organized really well. Comes in really handy. I know nearly zero about computers. I was still using Vista till a year ago. I actually like that computer MUCH better than 10.
I am going to "suspect" the answer to your question - can the upgrade from W10>W11 handle 200,000 images - is, yes. If each image file is ~5MB, you have ~1TB of data. Upgrading to Windows 11 doesn't delete any data as long as you click the "Keep personal files and apps" option. This is an "in-place" Upgrade from W10>W11. It is not a fresh complete installation of Windows 11 (which you would lose all files & apps). The great majority of .dll libraries (think Windows registry) is nearly identical from W10>W11; albeit, the Upgrade doesn't care what you have loaded in terms of files & apps.
NOTE: With the above said it is ALWAYS and I'll repeat that ALWAYS the best case scenario to backup the files to another HDD or storage device in case something should go wrong. There are many ways to recover from a botched upgrade, but I'll repeat it once again, the absolute best case scenario is to backup the files to another storage device in case something goes wrong. What could go wrong? The power goes out on your PC during the upgrade, you mistakenly invoke the incorrect key for the Upgrade...whatever. One terabyte (1TB) of data is not a huge amount of data. Microsoft owns ~4 million global Azure servers, they manage Zettabytes of storage data.
The upgrade should not interfere with your current applications and/or files. Again, it's an "in-place" upgrade. If you have ANY reservations, backup your files.
I am going to "suspect" the answer to your question - can the upgrade from W10>W11 handle 200,000 images - is, yes. If each image file is ~5MB, you have ~1TB of data. Upgrading to Windows 11 doesn't delete any data as long as you click the "Keep personal files and apps" option. This is an "in-place" Upgrade from W10>W11. It is not a fresh complete installation of Windows 11 (which you would lose all files & apps). The great majority of .dll libraries (think Windows registry) is nearly identical from W10>W11; albeit, the Upgrade doesn't care what you have loaded in terms of files & apps.
NOTE: With the above said it is ALWAYS and I'll repeat that ALWAYS the best case scenario to backup the files to another HDD or storage device in case something should go wrong. There are many ways to recover from a botched upgrade, but I'll repeat it once again, the absolute best case scenario is to backup the files to another storage device in case something goes wrong. What could go wrong? The power goes out on your PC during the upgrade, you mistakenly invoke the incorrect key for the Upgrade...whatever. One terabyte (1TB) of data is not a huge amount of data. Microsoft owns ~4 million global Azure servers, they manage Zettabytes of storage data.
The upgrade should not interfere with your current applications and/or files. Again, it's an "in-place" upgrade. If you have ANY reservations, backup your files.
Thanks. all but the past 12 months are still on my old Vista computer and also on another drive that plugs into a USB port. Sadly, I don't have a way to save just the past 12 months worth without saving the entire thing. All my pictures are organized into folders by application and not date.
You can create a backup to anywhere you like, external USB, external HDD, network drive share or another dedicated HDD on your PC. Schedule it to run once/week, daily, monthly or whatever. Many ways to create an automatic backup as well as a manual backup. It will maintain your folder hierarchy, as well.
October 13th, 2021, 07:50 PM
Hope it assists some members by providing some clarity. Thanks, Randy.
