This post started out as a question, but throughout two days of googling it became this compilation of links. I will tell you everything worth mention that I found, share my plan with you, and expect some critics (for the infos of course, please not for the silly hyperactivity of my ADHD brain over such a trivial matter 🥲). Tell me what do you think, is windows 10 enterprise LTSC IoT actually the best OS for piracy? Is it Windows 7 for best fps with games despite DirectX11 being outdated? Or maybe everything could be done through Linux + Lutris&WINE for example? I'm moving out from ubuntu mainly cuz I still don't know where to get Nvidia&Intel Drivers from 😂
So the windows community would infinitely shame you for using Windows 7 because it has no more security updates. Also I heard you neither have support for DirectX12 nor optimization for SSD, So windows 7 isn't optimized for ex: gaming even though most repacks were released for it. I don't know anything about Win8.1 and my experience with Win8 isn't good, so I disregard them here.
So it is Windows 10 or Windows 11, but both are bloated with ads, telemetry, useless apps, processes and services (why do I have Cortana!?) and forces you to update. Win10&11 presented what is called "windows as a service" instead of "as a product", a policy which sucks for us users.
But I heard about Windows 10 Enterprise LTSC, which has minimized telemetry and non of the annoying apps, I don't know about auto-updates though, but I heard it doesn't receive them often. I also learned that I better choose IoT version of the later for longer support (2032 vs 2027 for non-IoT LTSC). Now I have multiple choice of guides:
Downloading Microsoft's official copies, debloating and activating them:
1- the r/piracy guide which suggests these two files, which are both 2019 versions. But I'm happy to see the size is 3.78 GB, so I can burn the 64x on a DVD!
2- the r/WindowsLTSC Megathread which sites to this guide, which again suggests this friendly thread, and seems to be extensive and up-to-date. The friendly thread suggests tb.rg-adguard for downloading the iso. If you choose the options on this picture then according to the files.rg-adguard.net database you're downloading en-us_windows_10_consumer_editions_version_22h2_x64_dvd_8da72ab3.iso . Not Enterprise Edition, so I think we just disregard this particular part of the friendly thread and download from the pastebin in the Megathread.
--->cons: This is a bit extremely hard, especially since I'm on Linux rn.
3- Microsoft Activation Scripts developers also provide direct links to download , without the heavy guides. But will I be able to uninstall Microsoft Edge for example later? This one might be the easiest yet balanced route for now.
honorable mention: This Russian site, called nmclub, claims it offers 22H2 version of Windows 10 Enterprise IoT, but it is not LTSC I guess?
Modified Windows copies
1- Ghost Spectre Superlite which apparently doesn't have an official site, rather an official Youtube channel (which I linked) but it is constantly updated on the tech-latest.com website. the videos prove that the system supports android emulation well (I think, tbh I'm not considering this one, just included it cuz people who tried it speak positively about it)
2-Revi Os I heard it has an active Discord community and has a GUI tool that allow you to enable whatever you want,
3-Atlas OS (this one is open source and has a Github page and is said to give the best gaming performance and least resources usage, I'm really considering it!).
--->PS: as far as I understood, both Revi OS and Atlas OS are applicable on your installed win10/win11 using this open source project called ameliorated which itself had its' fixed Win10 1903 version.
4- Slimdown10: from the mydigitallife forum. The creator states:
The tool eradicates all cloud stuff, telemetry stuff, spying, tracking stuff, UWP bloatware, suggestions, ads, etc by removing them directly from DVD media (before installation, not after it). It also integrates latest updates and turns Windows Update into manual mode (no more forced updates). It is fully open source with no hidden stuff or blackbox features.
using Scripts
1- Win-Debloat-Tools Looks like the most maintained open source one out of them. Along with Sophia...
2- In this reddit comment, a user recommended to:
install Windows Enterprise or Pro, and use Sophia Script to remove the Bloatware that comes installed and use O&O ShutUp10 to disable the telemetry and spyware that is possible.
Because security updates are extremely ultra important when you are connected to internet.(?)
3- privatezilla: This one seems lightweight and easier to use, but not up-to-date, idk.
honorable mentions:
- This redditor from 2021 seems confident that the three tools he mentions, combined, fully remove telemetry?
- winutil: an open source supposedly "One Tool for Everything" as the title of the youtube guide by the developer says.
my plan:
- I will just download the r/piracy 64x ISO file,
- burn it on a 4.7GB DVD that I have (probably using ubuntu MATE's Disk Image Mounter) cuz I don't have a USB rn,
- Activate using MAS Tool,
- Download Drivers Manually,
- Maybe use either Win-Debloat-Tools or winutil if I feel deranged. ngl, they got me sold just by having gui and being open source
Is being a noob a good reason?
Everyone is a noob when starting out with something (so no)
No, not really. Distros like Ubuntu work pretty much out of the box. Dead simple to install, and easy enough to use that anyone should be able to handle it.
It's only tricky and confusing if you try to do more advanced things.
nope
endeavouros and mint are very easy to use
I think the critical mass for contributions to useabilify is soon, but not quite yet. I was using mint for over a year, but recently changed to popOS. I was surprised that my sister actually wanted me to get rid of windows off her new Asus vivobook.. if I had known how many hairs I will have pulled trying to get WiFi working.. I probably wouldnt have, and I can only he thankful she didn't get too bad an impression, she's seeming to like it now. If I had let being a noob get in my way of trying however, I wouldnt be nearly as satisfied with my workflow and desktop, and its let me dive further into selfhosting than I feel I wouldve on windows. I cant stand to be a Linux evangelist, but also I would love for adoption to increase, as users and contributors make for a fuller experience, Valve getting on the deck and proton is what let me really switch, but it will have holes until developers also change
Had this Bluetooth / wifi problem with manjaro, and killed it twice by trying to get it Working After that I installed openSuse, and everything just worked out of box ☺️ i love openSuse now
Ill take a look sometime, hows the customization as far as the window manager and being able to get nice tiling go? Thats what got me onto pop, I was expecting a learning curve to the keybinds but I havent had to switch them
If you choose GNOME, you can use the gnome extension to customize the behavior of the window manger quite easy with an intuitive designed web based extension manager ( e.g. https://extensions.gnome.org/extension/1286/tilingnome/ ) Without extensions, you can tile windows, like you do on windows. And use multiple desktops like you do in macOS.
On KDE (a more windows style UI environment) you can install extensions as well, but it seems like those have to be installed through your distro‘s package manager. I use gnome, so I don’t really know this.