Should i upgrade my OS to Win 11 or not

[MadisonMadi]

My computer reminds me daily to update to win 11, however, ive been told not to. but im also afraid of security flaws if there any if i don't update anymore.

Also im using this computer mainly for Gaming. Personal Projects, Watching Content and so on, nothing seriously important.


So what do i do, do i keep using win10 or do i upgrade to win 11

What are the cons and pros?

[WereCat]

Windows 10 still receives security updates so there is not much reason to update if you don't want to.

[will0hlep]

1 minute ago, MadisonMadi said:

My computer reminds me daily to update to win 11, however, ive been told not to. but im also afraid of security flaws if there any if i don't update anymore.

Also im using this computer mainly for Gaming. Personal Projects, Watching Content and so on, nothing seriously important.


So what do i do, do i keep using win10 or do i upgrade to win 11

What are the cons and pros?

Updates are coninuing for W10 for the time being (I believe until 2025) so you don't need to worry abour security yet.

[Dedayog]

10 is supported until 2025 I think.

 

11 is working fine for me.

 

It's a standard OS update, millions use 11 and millions use 10.  

 

Can't go wrong with either.

[Agall]

1 minute ago, MadisonMadi said:

My computer reminds me daily to update to win 11, however, ive been told not to. but im also afraid of security flaws if there any if i don't update anymore.

Also im using this computer mainly for Gaming. Personal Projects, Watching Content and so on, nothing seriously important.


So what do i do, do i keep using win10 or do i upgrade to win 11

What are the cons and pros?

I've had it on my desktop at home since day one and on my work machine since day one. Really nothing special or really that different, so I don't mind putting it on every new system I setup. I haven't seen any major issues since the first couple of months, to include specialty software we use here at work. 

 

Generally if it works in win10, it'll work in win11. If you're itching to transition and your windows OS is relatively easy to replace, then I'd just do it.

[DigitalGoat]

9 minutes ago, MadisonMadi said:

My computer reminds me daily to update to win 11, however, ive been told not to. but im also afraid of security flaws if there any if i don't update anymore.

Also im using this computer mainly for Gaming. Personal Projects, Watching Content and so on, nothing seriously important.


So what do i do, do i keep using win10 or do i upgrade to win 11

What are the cons and pros?

Use an imaging app like Macrium Reflect or Acronis (plenty of others around, most have a free limited version for home use) to create a snapshot of your current system, make a USB/ DVD rescue disk using the app and test it works.

With the snapshot (image) of your current system saved you can then update to Win11 to test it out, you will have a default of 10 days to roll back if you don't like it, but having the saved image allows you to test Win11 for longer if needed.

If after testing you decide it isn't for you just restore your saved image to return to Win10.

There are some good tutorials for creating system images/ backups on most tech forums (tenforums & elevenforums in particular) with easy to follow steps and things to consider if you have a non standard setup.

Win11 has some improvements to security and for scheduling on newer CPUs with hybrid architecture which might be worth consideration depending on your system hardware.

[Mojo-Jojo]

24 minutes ago, MadisonMadi said:

I've been told not to. but im also afraid of security flaws if there any if i don't update anymore.

Two things to address here really.

 

First: Security updates are not an issue for the foreseeable future. Windows 10 is still supported.

Second: You've been told not to update. Did they give any reason as to why, and why do you hold that opinion in such high regard? I'm not dissing their opinion, just wondering why it's relevant to you to update or not.

 

It all comes down to preference and compatibility. Since your Win10 install is bothering you to update, the latter isn't an issue. So it comes down to preference. The UI is a bit different but IMHO it's more polished than Win10. The only option I really miss is to never combine taskbar items.

[manikyath]

i'd at least strongly suggest you *not to upgrade*...

 

i've seen horror shows in the win8.1=>win10 upgrade, and i've seen the same horror shows return in the win10=>win11 upgrades.

 

it's fine when they work, but i've seen enough cases ranging from "garbage left behind" to "things are not quite right" to "self-bricking windows".

 

i just suggest that whenever the next opportunity for a reinstall arises (platform upgrade, for example) you do a clean install on windows 10.

[GoodBytes]

1 hour ago, manikyath said:

i'd at least strongly suggest you *not to upgrade*...

 

i've seen horror shows in the win8.1=>win10 upgrade, and i've seen the same horror shows return in the win10=>win11 upgrades.

 

it's fine when they work, but i've seen enough cases ranging from "garbage left behind" to "things are not quite right" to "self-bricking windows".

 

i just suggest that whenever the next opportunity for a reinstall arises (platform upgrade, for example) you do a clean install on windows 10.

I have upgraded many systems. The issue is not the upgrade process itself. That works really well.

The issue is the history part. For example, Registry cleaner used, or the system had a virus/malware (A/V, even Windows Defender, doesn't fix modified system files or system configuration changes. They just remove the infection or malware and call it a day... your system is ready to be backed up and clean install), and such.

 

So yes, if one doesn't know the history of the system, or things on the system indicates that it could be a problem (for example, you are upgrading a person PC, and you see CCleaner installed, or questionable junk apps), then yea... clean install instead.

[GoodBytes]

@MadisonMadi, as everyone said:

• Windows 10 is supported until Oct 2025.
• Windows 11 is great OS if your system is supported. My advice, is to ensure that you have the latest BIOS installed, configured properly (TPM enabled, Secure Boot enabled, CSM disabled), and latest drivers for everything is installed BEFORE the upgrade process.
• If you don't know / forgot the history of the system, or you want to play it safe, then a clean install is recommended over an upgrade (backup your data before. if you format your drive, all data will be lost. And even if you don't, all you need is Mr. Bad Luck to arrive, and something happens, and your data is lost, or difficult to recover (example: power outages during install process, or drive fails.))
• Windows 11 runs really well. It is in fact; it is based on Windows 10... The OS even identifies itself, as such.
  
  It is Windows 10, with a new more consistent interface that gets progressively better at every version update, and a series of improvements and new features.
   
• I'll also add: SSD as main drive (where Windows is installed on) is highly recommended. (Even for late Windows 10 releases by the way). Microsoft has been optimizing Windows for SSDs during Windows 10 life, and just not care about HDD's anymore. Windows 11 has a requirement for computer manufacturers that they can't sale system with Windows 11 if it isn't installed on an SSD. Hence why, you no longer see laptops with HDDs anymore (or, if there is one, only as a secondary drive). If you have an SSD already, great! If you don't consider getting one. It will be night and day.

[LamoidZombieDog]

Absolutely not

[manikyath]

3 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

The issue is not the upgrade process itself.

except.. it is.

 

i'm not saying it's common.. but i've seen upgrades brick themselves.. i've even seen a box upgrade itself to win11, and brick itself in the process.

literally just an off the shelf laptop with a clean windows 10 with some office workload stuff on it, essentially as clean as it can be... it failed the upgrade.

[TyrantDagda]

Windows 11 > Windows 10

[GoodBytes]

11 minutes ago, manikyath said:

except.. it is.

 

i'm not saying it's common.. but i've seen upgrades brick themselves.. i've even seen a box upgrade itself to win11, and brick itself in the process.

literally just an off the shelf laptop with a clean windows 10 with some office workload stuff on it, essentially as clean as it can be... it failed the upgrade.

Those are not good. You have an A/V oftentimes not updated, and they have a reputation of self trigger thinking an attack is happening during the upgrade process. If not, then outdated drivers might not be compatible with the upgrade process or updated version of Windows.

 

Oftentimes, you see all of this in action at every new release of Windows within the same version. Update blocked are raised, and investigation reveal the same story, most of the time: A/V or driver issue. Once solution has been made, and user update the affected driver/software, then the update block is lifted.

[Alan G]

4 hours ago, GoodBytes said:

I have upgraded many systems. The issue is not the upgrade process itself. That works really well.

The issue is the history part. For example, Registry cleaner used, or the system had a virus/malware (A/V, even Windows Defender, doesn't fix modified system files or system configuration changes. They just remove the infection or malware and call it a day... your system is ready to be backed up and clean install), and such.

 

So yes, if one doesn't know the history of the system, or things on the system indicates that it could be a problem (for example, you are upgrading a person PC, and you see CCleaner installed, or questionable junk apps), then yea... clean install instead.

That was my experience several weeks ago when I upgraded two of the home PCs .  Never used any registry cleaner or changed any registry values.  In each case I had to do the BIOS configuration and the updates from Win10 -> 11 went smoothly.  The only issue was with my worrk station when I had to reinstall the printer and HP doesn't help much with their printer app that they want you to install.  It could never find my USB printer so I had to do the manual installation.  I have to say I like the Win 11 interface much better than the Win 10 and I've seen modest improvement in performance with the programs that I run.

[GoodBytes]

19 minutes ago, LamoidZombieDog said:

Absolutely not

Oh, you mean when you attempted to inject Windows 10 file explorer under Windows 11, it borked your Windows 11?... yea that is on you.

[manikyath]

26 minutes ago, GoodBytes said:

Those are not good. You have an A/V oftentimes not updated, and they have a reputation of self trigger thinking an attack is happening during the upgrade process. If not, then outdated drivers might not be compatible with the upgrade process or updated version of Windows.

 

Oftentimes, you see all of this in action at every new release of Windows within the same version. Update blocked are raised, and investigation reveal the same story, most of the time: A/V or driver issue. Once solution has been made, and user update the affected driver/software, then the update block is lifted.

case in point: dont upgrade. i've never seen the upgrade being "blocked" by an old driver or AV or whatever.. but i've seen plenty of bricks.

 

in my eyes it's just not a reliable method. and even if there is a 0.1% chance of something bricking during the upgrade.. we'd be here recommending to make sure everything is backed up either way.. so why not just make the jump and do it right when the moment is there.

[avg123]

If Microsoft is still giving the free upgrade to Windows 11 offer, then upgrade your PC and claim the offer.

 

After you upgrade, your key will be valid for both Windows 10 and 11.

 

If you don't like Windows 11, you will have 30 days to downgrade back to Windows 10.

 

But now if you ever need Windows 11 in the future for some reason, you would not need to buy a Windows 11  key as your existing key will work