Help needed to fix Win11 disaster on Rachi's new computer

[Burgerman]

Did you try what I suggested above? Because that SHOULD work fine.

[LROBBINS]

SUCCESS!

I did try using Driver Store Viewer, but failed with that (it should have worked, but more about that below).

Having failed with that I decided to try the DriverUpdater from CCleaner. It found 22 missing drivers, and once installed the "not found devices" problem disappeared. So, John, you were absolutely correct: the LTSC image was missing some basic drivers (at least chipset drivers) needed by the newer hardware. After all was well, with PC rebooted, I reran the CCleaner DriverUpdater and it found a few updates for the one it had just installed.

Two things I tried did not work for different reasons:

The Win11 drivers for the older model SPECTRE X360 (as Steve suggested) did not fix the "hidden devices" problem, and they also don't include the driver for the different camera hardware and software on the newer machine.

Driver Store Viewer didn't work for a different reason - it didn't work because I couldn't get it to open the folder with the saved driver store from the Win11 install. It threw a DISM "failed or not running" error. Searching the web for DISM just told me that it is an image management command prompt item, but doing /? for that didn't show me anything that seemed useful. I don't know what I was doing wrong. After getting things working, I deleted most of the hidden devices and did use Driver Store Viewer to get rid of most old drivers (kept some where there were no newer versions listed; they probably can be removed too, but I wanted to make an image first before risking that).

So, at this point all was well, and I've since cleaned out a lot of accumulated junk. Reduced the size of the image from 177 GB to to 91 GB which certainly makes saving or retrieving the clone a lot faster. I still have lots to do (such as transferring the Loquendo license from the lost computer to the new one, mounting and configuring the IR transceiver etc.), but from totally frustrated I've now moved to pretty happy.

[woodygb]

[Burgerman]

91GB?
Thats still huge.

If you had used the Snappy Driver Installer Origin initially (its free, does exactly the same as the CC thing that you used) and includes 54GB of drivers from all the latest PCs laptops and desktops it would have sorted that all out in one go originally.

I keep a copy of that, as well as CLONE backup file of my latest windows instalation on a bootable memory stick. It allows my to boot any PC, install my windows, and then add any missing drivers in a 123 attack. Works like a champ every time.

And it means I have alway got a current backup that deploys to aLl my own (and any PC) as required. A complete rescue kit!

I couldn't get it to open the folder with the saved driver store from the Win11

2 things.

I have an instant registry hack on my "right mouse button" and if you have any problem accessing or deleting or copying ANYTHING on a windows PC you just "right click > choose "take ownership" and its yours!
And 2. You must run that Driver Viewer program from an elevated admin rights command. So right click, run as admin.

Do both, and you cannot fail.

[LROBBINS]

That 91 GB is the image of the full disc, not just the OS which would be <30. The disc includes multiple programs, data files, copies of iso files and so on. I bet an image with all your video stuff would be pretty big too!

[LROBBINS]

I did run the store viewer as an administrator. The "Take ownership" might help, and for other things as well - would sure beat having to manually change ownership back and forth - so I'll try to remember to give that a try after I get through a mountain of other stuff I need to do - like figuring out how to be able to control this tablet PC when folded given that my trick of fooling a sensor magnet with a piece of tin can can't work because there's no mag sensor on the new one, just multiple accelerometers to keep track of position in space and position of screen relative to keyboard. But even dealing with that sits behind lots of non computer stuff I've been neglecting.
Ciao,
Lenny

[Burgerman]

That 91 GB is the image of the full disc, not just the OS which would be <30. The disc includes multiple programs, data files, copies of iso files and so on. I bet an image with all your video stuff would be pretty big too!

My Documents folder is 28GB and has no isos, images, movies, just documants. Going back to 1980s...

My Photos (only), no movies, is over 1.5TB and thats just one of two... The other is 550GB. These also go back to the 80s and include scans from film camera days.

My software store is 186GB alone and this is all from windows 10 days. Ihave an old pre windows 10 days thats bigger and gos back to DOS 6.22 days kept on old disks in a cupboard just in case.

I also have a lot of windows PC boot drive and every other partition type of backups. Stored on 4 different PCs and on large removable disks.

All my PCs have a few 4TB SSDs. And 2TB NVMe boot discs.
Laptops are 2TB boot, and removable 4TB SSDs.

My laptops all have their 2TB NVMe drives partitioned so 250GB Windows boot, and 1.6GB storage, as drive D partitions. The one on this laptop I am typing on is using 1.25TB of this partition alone!

When I back up windows (drive C partition only) its 70GB includes a lot of installed software. No work, pics, etc.

Some programs such as MS Flight sim (has a seperate drive. Because some games like this is a huge 192GB all on its own!

So my windows partition with all installed software etc and theres a lot of this is 70GB. Everything else lives on different disks or partitions. Which are backed up seperatly and can be restored individually.

[Burgerman]

No idea what a single complete backup of everything all added up would be. But it would be big. Maybe 4 to 5 TB.

The TAKE OWNERSHIP right click menu thing works on files, or folders or complete drives. I use it reguarly. Save a nightmare of trying to do it manually.

Lets you open things like the "system volume information" folders too. Which can be interesting. Dont worry windows soon takes them back on the next boot!

[Burgerman]

I remember when I was amazed that a copy of windows 95 took 14 of those 1.4 Megabyte floppy disks. So about 20MB total!

A single photo from my Nikon Z7II is around 70MB. My Windows 3.1 and later Win 95 PC a 40mhz DX machine had a 40MB hard drive. Now even my laptop has a 2TB boot drive!

[LROBBINS]

Rachi's and (my complete) images of 91GB include everything we have on the discs - lots of programs for program compilation, circuit board design, mechanical design, word processing, spreadsheet etc, etc. and all of our data files, including some modestly-sized photos but no films, no games nor other memory hogs. They are work machines only and hardly ever used for entertainment. We really need much less processor power (13th gen i7), memory (16 GB) and storage (2 TB on the new one), but once one chooses a tablet PC suited to WC mounting, with a first rate screen and with adequate connectivity, it's either buy an old, used one on its last legs, or get a lot more computer than is really needed. Of course, I don't mind how fast this machine does process complex tasks, just don't really need that.

[Burgerman]

Dont think 99% of people need anything more than a 15 year old CPU.
But modern ones are very much more energy efficient and when configured right throttle and only use very low power/low core count etc. Same with modern NVMe drives. They basically use little power. So why not!

Yes, I bought these 2x 5420 Rugged machines because basically waterproof, shockproof, has every concievable connectivity needed inc serial ports, USBC and removable NVMe drives. As well as the all important 2000 nits screens that work at the pub outdoors in summer. Oviously that eats battery powr but they also have 2 large batteries. Runs all day. But they are heavy and not the usual slim/light and thin things most of the modern world expect.

Also not very cheap. But I use them most of the day and most of the night sometimes for weeks at a time.

Mine is I7 quad core 8 thread, 32GB RAM and has moble internet, (a phone card for 4G at around 100mbps) wifi obviously, 2TB boot disk, dedicated GPS and a bunch of stuff like cameras, smart card and finger print reader etc etc. Most of all PROPER MOUSE BUTTONS!

Mines the thinnr one of these. But thats still an inch or 25mm thick once opened! Military and forces build quality. It looks like plastic. Its not its all alloy/magnesium castings. So good I bought a spare one!

And getting caught out in the rain, or bright sun is no problem. Not to mention its been bounced so many times I cannot remember onto my concrete bedroom floor. It has rubber corners, so just bounces. And being dell, its got 5 years business next day repair/replace warranty. And all parts are easy to swap or get anyway.

Maybe one is of interest? But it is heavy. 2 network ports, 5 fast USB ports, USBC port, dedicated OR USBC charging, very controllable charging to in my case 85%, both batteries, internet works anywhere no wifi needed, and real uBlocks dedicated GPS. Also has super fast card reader, fingerprint logon, 2 sizes of HDMI ports, and 1 DisplayPort. And a native serial port. Thunderbolt port/dock etc. And a touch screen I never use.



youtu.be/P5tEjuG7VWc

[LROBBINS]

Rachi's computer needs to have a rotating or folding screen and pen input so that I can tweak things without taking it off the chair if there's a problem. I would have looked for mil spec if I ever saw one with those characteristics among those currently available - there used to be some, but they're no longer around as far as I can tell. (Dell may have one coming out in a year or so, but I think it also has too large a screen to stick in front of the chair.)

[Burgerman]

Thats odd. I thought they did a rugged rotating one.
https://www.dell.com/en-uk/shop/laptop- ... ed-laptops

Maybe a refurb used one then?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/144997429320
Theres lots of used ones in various spec.

[Burgerman]

This is identical to mine in every way except they fitted a 11 generation CPU (which is both greedier and hotter and not needed) and windows 11

So they actually made it less useful! Its aimed at business, military, police etc why on earth would they want 11 with all its money maker garbage and endless nagging etc.

But 10 will run on it, (LTSC IoT obviously) regardless. But once you add all the options you will want like loads of memory, mobile internet etc the price goes through the roof! But you can add memory and massive NVMe cheap later on so order with the least...

[LROBBINS]

Thanks for the links - obviously I was wrong to think that units like these were no longer on the market. Next time I'll look harder.

[Burgerman]

No you are right. The only ones are refurbs or used. I think. Now I dont know!