Windows 11

WGH · « **Reply #60 on:** 13 Oct 2021, 01:55 am »

The October Malwarebytes Newsletter has a well written article about the new Windows 11 security features. I have been on the internet since the early AOL days and registered my business domain name, learned to code and built my website in 1999 before there were many how-to guides. After 22 years I'm on everyone's list. I get invitations to click on malware everyday and more websites are getting hacked (see below) so security is my number one priority, I'm glad Microsoft is helping out.

https://blog.malwarebytes.com/malwarebytes-news/2021/10/windows-11-security/

Mark Stockley spoke to Malwarebytes’ Windows experts Alex Smith and Charles Oppermann to understand what’s changed in Windows 11 and what impact it could have on security. The newsletter goes over:

Virtualization Based Security (VBS)
Kernel Data Protection, which uses VBS to mark some kernel memory as read only, to protect the Windows kernel and its drivers from being tampered with.
Memory Integrity (a more digestible name for HVCI), which runs code integrity checks in an isolated environment, which should provide stronger protection against kernel viruses and malware.
Application Guard, a protective sandbox for Edge and Microsoft Office that uses virtualization to isolate untrusted websites and office documents, limiting the damage they can cause.
Credential Guard runs the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service in a virtual container, which stops attackers dumping credentials and using them in pass-the-hash attacks.
Windows Hello Enhanced Sign-In uses VBS to isolate biometric software, and to create secure pathways to external components like the camera and TPM.
UEFI’s Secure Boot, which checks the digital signatures of the software used in the boot process. It protects against bootkits that load before the operating system, and rootkits that modify the operating system.
Trusted Platform Module 2.0 (TPM 2.0) a tamper-resistant technology that performs cryptographic operations, such as creating and storing cryptographic keys, where they can’t be interfered with. It’s probably best known for its role in Secure Boot.
Hardware-enforced Stack Protection

Brian Livingston recently wrote a scary article in the Oct. 11, 2021 Ask Woody Free Newsletter.

https://www.askwoody.com/newsletter/free-edition-the-first-google-search-result-often-leads-to-a-virus/

The first Google search result often leads to a virus

"The top search result in Google is all too often a link to a website that’s been hacked to infect visitors’ devices with a virus.
"The hackers have found ways to control the content management systems (CMSes) of legitimate websites that happen to rank highly in Google on certain search terms. The hacked sites are made to display fake webpages that can infect users who click a link. The websites’ owners are usually unaware that anything evil is happening."

Windows 11 can't happen soon enough.

JohnR · « **Reply #61 on:** 18 Oct 2021, 02:11 pm »

Well I installed it.

And I like it!

Seriously, it feels like a step forward to me (so far). Unlike say Big Sur. Initial impressions are that it does succeed in being cleaner and fresher. About that menu (Mike), I thought it would bother me but in fact I am used to typing two or three letters to bring up apps anyway, I've just realised that maybe I do this now because it's consistent across Mac, Linux and Windows.

It's early days but so far the only thing I've tried that doesn't work properly is Roon

On the licensing, I did a fresh install from ISO, selected no license in the installer and created an "offline" account, then after installation I checked it and it was activated. So the Windows 10 Pro license that was attached to this machine just worked. Really easy actually.

JohnR · « **Reply #62 on:** 18 Oct 2021, 03:09 pm »

Ooooo, there's some new window tiling behaviour. This looks really useful.

WGH · « **Reply #63 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 06:17 pm »

Hey, look what just showed up last night...

So before bed I started the free Paragon Backup and Restore and let it do it's thing making a fresh image of the 'C' drive while I slept, just in case of a failed upgrade.
This morning I clicked "Download and install" and 1 hour later I have a new OS

So far, so good. All programs work, even the old Printkey2000 and Twofer (opens 2 explorer windows side-by-side) and Office 2000 although I still have to kill Clippy

.
We got roundy corners, a cleaner interface and taskbar icons are finally in the center.

mgalusha · « **Reply #64 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 07:01 pm »

I did my laptop a couple weeks ago and I forced the install on my lab computer over the weekend, thus far no issues with that machine. I was concerned the test and measurement stuff wouldn't work but no problems, I used the dScope to measure an amp afterwards.

The security improvements are very important, very happy to see this. I've read some of the hardcore gamers are disabling the VBS feature to get more performance, but for most folks, I think it's a good thing. We've decided at a corporate level that all new PC's or machines that need a new image will get Win 11. We've had no problems with any of the apps that folks use, at least so far.

ctviggen · « **Reply #65 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 08:40 pm »

One of my computers (the one I'm using now) has an Intel i7 processor that's not supported. No one can tell why, other than it's slightly older.

mgalusha · « **Reply #66 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 08:55 pm »

It needs to be 8th gen or newer and the mainboard has to have a TPM module that is enabled. If you go into task manager, look at the CPU on the performance tab, it needs to be at least 8xxx. I have an older Intel NUC that has an i7 7567U, no go on that one. This PC is new enough though. See photo.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #67 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 09:38 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen on 28 Oct 2021, 08:40 pm

One of my computers (the one I'm using now) has an Intel i7 processor that's not supported. No one can tell why, other than it's slightly older.

This seems to be temporary, MS is putting the TPM chip software into W11 as was done in W-Vista where it was called Palladium, so they will be able to put W11 on most PCs, I have received instructions to run commands in DISM to try facilitate compatibility with W11.

However as I said before the big prob with W11 is that who decides whether your files are copy righted protected or are yours indeed is the TPM chip/Palladium, so it will decide if you can access your files or not.

If W11 understands that your files have copy right you will not be able to access them and the files in stake will automatically be blocked and subsequently your access to W11 may be blocked as well, in this case you will lost your files and your PC.

This is what you get when you allow W11 on your PC.

WGH · « **Reply #68 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 09:41 pm »

Quote from: FullRangeMan on 28 Oct 2021, 09:38 pm

However the big prob with W11 is that who decides whether your files are copy righted protected or are yours indeed is the TPM chip/Palladium, so it will decide if you can access your files or not.

If W11 understands that your files have copy righted, you will not be able to access them, and the files in stake will automatically be blocked, and subsequently your access to W11 may be blocked as well and you will lost your files and your PC.

Documentation or Speculation?

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #69 on:** 28 Oct 2021, 09:48 pm »

Quote from: WGH on 28 Oct 2021, 09:41 pm

Documentation or Speculation?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUYr1WNE8_A

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #70 on:** 30 Oct 2021, 02:08 am »

Downloaded the install assistant tonight and it took exactly 30 minutes to download and install on my new-ish Dell laptop (8:29pm to 8:59pm). Much faster to install than I expected. Now have the entire weekend to tweek to my liking.

SlushPuppy · « **Reply #71 on:** 30 Oct 2021, 03:10 am »

EVERYTHING is faster. Boot time, program load times, general feel. I like it. Had to put the start menu on the left though. Just too familiar with that

bacobits1 · « **Reply #72 on:** 30 Oct 2021, 12:14 pm »

I will wait 6 months before installing Win 11.
I always wait for the problems to roll in for any major upgrades.
"Ask Woody"

BobM · « **Reply #73 on:** 30 Oct 2021, 12:43 pm »

I'm still using Win 7 on my old desktop PC. I don;t think it could handle the demands of Win 11 so I would probably need a new computer.

My big question is ... I didn't upgrade from Win 7 because , well it is just so good and there were too many complaints about the new Win versions. I guess Win 10 fixed most of those and now Win 11. So how does Win 11 stack up against Win 7? Is it time to make the move or just hold on to what I've got?

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #74 on:** 30 Oct 2021, 02:55 pm »

W7 are clearly smaller, simpler and easy tô control with commands. W10 vantage are free anti-vírus and files automatic in alphabetic order if one like this file system, otherwise with W10 user have no privacy.

WGH · « **Reply #75 on:** 30 Oct 2021, 03:37 pm »

Quote from: BobM on 30 Oct 2021, 12:43 pm

I'm still using Win 7 on my old desktop PC. I don;t think it could handle the demands of Win 11 so I would probably need a new computer.

My big question is ... I didn't upgrade from Win 7 because , well it is just so good and there were too many complaints about the new Win versions. I guess Win 10 fixed most of those and now Win 11. So how does Win 11 stack up against Win 7? Is it time to make the move or just hold on to what I've got?

Your decision depends on what you use your computer for. If you only use it for AudioCircle, Facebook and email and never download or look at attachments sent by clueless relatives then you can stay with Windows 7. You may be running software that only works on W7 but I have no idea what that could be, all my 20 year old software works perfectly on W11.

Do you still get Windows Security Updates? Windows 7 end-of-life was January 14, 2020 when updates were supposed to stop. You might have gotten the printer fix though. Without security updates Windows 7 is a big target waiting to be hacked. Your files are probably safe but a key logger could be installed to harvest your banking passwords and other private info that could be used to make bogus accounts in your name. FullRangeMan is our friendly conspiracy theorist but in my experience W10 is 100% private, if it wasn't I would have gotten notices from law enforcement and my ISP years ago (I'll never say why). His experiences in Brazil may be completely different than here in the US.

I would update to Windows 10 immediately because I'm security minded.

Your #1 priority would be to make an image of your current system using the free Paragon Backup and Recovery on a USB hard drive. Accidents happen and drives crash without warning, since you are still using W7 your computer is getting real old. 10 years is about when everything starts breaking, from catastrophic hard drive crashes to motherboard caps getting weak or leaking.

The free upgrade to Windows 10 may still be available, all Windows 7 users are eligible. Read this:
https://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=167226.msg1775174#msg1775174

So far I have zero complaints regarding either Windows 10 or 11 so I have no idea what the whiners are talking about.

Doublej · « **Reply #76 on:** 31 Oct 2021, 12:28 am »

BobM

It's definitely time for a replacement machine. I would continue to use a computer that is connected to the internet and is not being patched. One click on an email from a friend's compromised email account an you are toast. Then in a crisis you get to buy a new machine (if you can find one) and figure out how to use it.

If you use an iPhone, consider getting a Mac mini instead of a Windows machine. If you use an Android phone and you don't run any local programs on your Windows 7 computer, you could consider getting a Chromebook.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #77 on:** 31 Oct 2021, 01:21 am »

I think Bob is well served with this W7 and should not upgrade to W10, much less W11, but in case of buying a new PC one should buy W10(not W11 of course) and block any further updates in the Group Policy Editor gpedit.msc.

I have blocked updates as 1904 and immediately W10 pointed out:

ctviggen · « **Reply #78 on:** 31 Oct 2021, 01:26 pm »

Quote from: Doublej on 31 Oct 2021, 12:28 am

BobM

It's definitely time for a replacement machine. I would continue to use a computer that is connected to the internet and is not being patched. One click on an email from a friend's compromised email account an you are toast. Then in a crisis you get to buy a new machine (if you can find one) and figure out how to use it.

If you use an iPhone, consider getting a Mac mini instead of a Windows machine. If you use an Android phone and you don't run any local programs on your Windows 7 computer, you could consider getting a Chromebook.

I can't get a mac, as everything I do for work is in Windows. Everything. For the same reason, I can't get a Chromebook and actually despise storing things on the cloud anyway. I have a 15TB server in my house.

The computer is not that old and runs fine. It's the computer I'm typing this on and the one I use for work when I'm at home. Two screens.

I'll see what happens over time.

This is one of the only computers I bought out of a store where the fans aren't horrendous. For other computers, I've had to replace all the fans. So, the next computer I get, I'll order the motherboard, processor, RAM, etc. I don't have the money for that now, as I have to replace my aging 15TB server, which has been running since -- I don't remember when. That will take up my budget for a new computer for a while.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #79 on:** 21 Nov 2021, 04:42 am »

As I said before MS will try install TPM software in your W10 at all costs to control your files, DRM and put an end in your privacy, just found this driver in my W10 installed this year 07Feb21.