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[Anonymous Internet User]

I've just finished my first Win 11 Pro 25H2 build. It went without any major hiccups, about the same as 24H2. Though I noticed that Cross Device Resume can now be completely removed, which is nice. I'm quite content with the result. As long as it boots to under 2GB of RAM and fewer than 100 tasks, I'm happy. Connected Devices is on as removing it breaks Bluetooth on my machines. But OneDrive, Edge, Xbox, Gamebar, Copilot, Photon, Recall, AI/ML and all default apps are gone, Windows Feature Updates blocked, security updates only

I kept Defender too, I never remove that.

Lots of other little things removed, like ZIP Folders (never used that), offline files, work folders, windows media features, smartcard support, etc.

Additional customizations: StartAllBack (Start Menu, Taskbar and Explorer UI) and 7tspGUI (icons) and some manual editing of imageres.dll.mun as well as bunch of REG files. Oh, and few tweaks using WinaeroTweaker too.

I was expecting a lot worse from 25H2, approached it with some apprehension and anxiety but I was surprised: it actually "feels" like a better build than my 24H2 from Summer 2025. I was gonna wait for 25H2 until later in the year, but I might just migrate to this build in the next few weeks. It just needs a bit more testing on actual hardware, but so far nothing seems broken, like the usual suspects: tray icons, customization and other settings work. I know more or less by now what breaks what, so I'm careful with removals. I'd rather disable services post-install than risk having broken UI or settings.

Thank you NTLite team

This is in VMWare:

 

[Necrosaro]

You keep missing the Black Friday and end of year sales hype??

Na I don't care rather support this program at full price instead. I ways have

 

[garlin]

You should really support nuhi by buying the Business license!

 

[Necrosaro]

I've just finished my first Win 11 Pro 25H2 build. It went without any major hiccups, about the same as 24H2. Though I noticed that Cross Device Resume can now be completely removed, which is nice. I'm quite content with the result. As long as it boots to under 2GB of RAM and fewer than 100 tasks, I'm happy. Connected Devices is on as removing it breaks Bluetooth on my machines. But OneDrive, Edge, Xbox, Gamebar, Copilot, Photon, Recall, AI/ML and all default apps are gone, Windows Feature Updates blocked, security updates only

I kept Defender too, I never remove that.

Lots of other little things removed, like ZIP Folders (never used that), offline files, work folders, windows media features, smartcard support, etc.

Additional customizations: StartAllBack (Start Menu, Taskbar and Explorer UI) and 7tspGUI (icons) and some manual editing of imageres.dll.mun as well as bunch of REG files. Oh, and few tweaks using WinaeroTweaker too.

I was expecting a lot worse from 25H2, approached it with some apprehension and anxiety but I was surprised: it actually "feels" like a better build than my 24H2 from Summer 2025. I was gonna wait for 25H2 until later in the year, but I might just migrate to this build in the next few weeks. It just needs a bit more testing on actual hardware, but so far nothing seems broken, like the usual suspects: tray icons, customization and other settings work. I know more or less by now what breaks what, so I'm careful with removals. I'd rather disable services post-install than risk having broken UI or settings.

Thank you NTLite team

This is in VMWare:

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That cross device was annoying to figure out which one that was.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

According to TechPowerUp and few others "Microsoft Seeks to Rebuild Community Trust in Windows 11".

Microsoft Seeks to Rebuild Community Trust in Windows 11

Microsoft is actively working to repair the broken trust it has created within the Windows community. Sources close to The Verge report that the Redmond giant is focusing on enhancing the core functionality of the Windows 11 operating system and its underlying services. These have become so...

www.techpowerup.com

Microsoft is shifting priorities to rebuild trust in Windows

Throughout its history, Windows operating systems have faced repeated criticism and poor decisions, but the situation with Windows 11 has proven to be a

winaero.com

https://www.tomsguide.com/computing/windows-operating-systems/we-need-to-improve-windows-in-ways-that-are-meaningful-for-people-microsoft-is-urgently-trying-to-fix-windows-11-issues

What do you think?

I don't believe it. Microsoft is too far gone. They are oblivious to the real issues that make users frustrated and angry: forced AI and cloud, required MS account login, preinstalled bloat, unwanted background services that can't be easily disabled, ads and telemetry, arbitrary hardware requirements, forced updates, lack of customization, etc.

It's not just "constant BSODs, strange bugs, and core applications misbehaving", there is too much unwanted, intrusive, bloated crap at the core of Windows that needs to be ripped out. The top executives and the team leaders would have to go and be replaced with customer minded people, a real Quality Assurance team would have to come back, talented designers, programmers and engineers would need to be re-hired instead of having crappy AI generated code.

Undoing a decade of constant regressions of usability and erosion of privacy and control would require a drastic change of priorities at MS and it's not gonna happen. It's just an empty, and possibly Copilot generated, talk.

This quote from Windows Central says it best:

"People don’t hate change. They hate surprise. They hate feeling like they’re not part of the conversation. They hate waking up after Patch Tuesday and discovering that something they relied on has moved, changed, or been replaced without warning, e.g., Start menu changes. And they especially hate the creeping sense that the OS they paid for is slowly becoming a billboard for Microsoft’s services."

Microsoft’s biggest Windows bug is user confidence

Microsoft keeps adding features to Windows 11 — but users get angrier. This column breaks down why the real issue isn’t technical. And it starts with trust.

www.windowscentral.com

I would love to be proven wrong though and let this be a real sign of course change at Microsoft. But... nah, don't believe it.

So, yeah what do you think?

 

[16309]

According to TechPowerUp and few others "Microsoft Seeks to Rebuild Community Trust in Windows 11".

3 hopes - No Hope, Bob Hope and Stanford-le-Hope.

Windows 11 is so tarnished and ms is so blinkered that things are only going to get worse not better, only projects like NTLite etc are going to make things bearable. Bearable, not perfect but bearable and i can compromise with bearable.

 

[Necrosaro]

Ntlite and newest windows 11 updates are sure not liking each other. Even in general 25H2 has been a headache. Removing things cause constant blue screens(as much as 5) before it cleans itself out. Should have stuck with 23H2 lol

 

[16309]

Because windows 11 and its updates are buggy as hell from the look of it.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

My Win 25H2 actually feels better than my previous 24H2 build. I don't feel the process was much worse than 24H2. Though both were more difficult than 23H2, for sure. So far I installed it on two PCs, I have not had any BSODs or crashes, though I don't do much on these, like gaming. But I've read about all the issues people are having with 25H2. However, I have read that there was an update in early/mid-January, that made things somewhat better, and I built mine on January 21st or around, so I may already have that update. I'm not sure.

True though that 23H2 was probably better than both of these.

My 24H2 Explorer has problems all over on my main desktop: slow file copies, hangs often doing basic things, laggy UI, etc. I was hoping for some improvement here.

I saved my 23H2 NTLite folders and the ISO too. But I'm not sure if going back makes much sense at this point.

 

[Necrosaro]

My Win 25H2 actually feels better than my previous 24H2 build. I don't feel the process was much worse than 24H2. Though both were more difficult than 23H2, for sure. So far I installed it on two PCs, I have not had any BSODs or crashes, though I don't do much on these, like gaming. But I've read about all the issues people are having with 25H2. However, I have read that there was an update in early/mid-January, that made things somewhat better, and I built mine on January 21st or around, so I may already have that update. I'm not sure.

True though that 23H2 was probably better than both of these.

My 24H2 Explorer has problems all over on my main desktop: slow file copies, hangs often doing basic things, laggy UI, etc. I was hoping for some improvement here.

I saved my 23H2 NTLite folders and the ISO too. But I'm not sure if going back makes much sense at this point.

Don't get me wrong windows 25H2 is faster then 23h2 however removal of stuff with Ntlite has been a pain. Looks like Microsoft is doubling down on putting random things into its processes which when removed creates a snowball affect of more issues.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

Yeah, we can definitely agree that the stupid, unrelated, interdependencies have always been a problem and it is indeed getting worse with each annual update.

Right, many people said that even 24H2 was better for gaming than previous versions, but I honestly did not tell any difference. If there is a difference, it is probably single digits % and that's not something one can feel.

What feels real though is the Explorer being crap. I feel like it's worse in 24H2 than it was in 23H2. I use Teracopy and FreeFileSync to copy large numbers of files because Explorer copy is just crap. Strangely though, only between local SATA, NVME and USB drives. Explorer file copies to/from Linux and even Windows file servers seem fine.

My workaround around the Explorer windows opening lag (when the top part, "the island" with widgets, takes longer to load) was to change the Explorer look to Windows 7 with StartAllBack. I like that look better anyway.

It is bearable and switching to Linux would mean even more compromises. But it's getting wearisome, I feel fatigue setting in.

 

[Necrosaro]

Blahhhh! I am going back to 23H2. I hate 25H2 with my computer. Simply doesn't like it no matter what I do.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

Re

Blahhhh! I am going back to 23H2. I hate 25H2 with my computer. Simply doesn't like it no matter what I do.

Really? That bad? I'm about to install it on my main desktop today. Uff....

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if it gives me any major trouble. Recent news about Microsoft admitting some of their faults may be encouraging, but I just don't believe them, but who knows. So perhaps going back to 24H2 or even 23H2 might make sense. Then wait a year and see what develops before doing the unthinkable and switching to Linux.

 

[16309]

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if it gives me any major trouble.

1 - swear a lot
2 - bang head against brick wall
3 - look skyward and ask "why me lord"
4 - hit the bottle

 

[16309]

Moan Zone.

Spoiler

Linux is not the answer for everybody. Personally i could use linux(Debian) 99% of the time for internet use but there are occasions where you need to run a windows specific program but it wont run under linux+WINE and/or wont run because it needs a .Net framework version. :/

Which version of linux to use, there are way too many choices.

Mac OS - Hardware and upgrades are way too expensive. When they change processor architectures programs that you bought and paid for wont run on later versions, unlike windows 10 21h2 where i can still run XP era programs without needing to use a Compatibility setting.

Windows programmers need to stop writing stuff that needs a .Net so you can use their stuff under linux+WINE.

Windows PE discs do not always include a .Net and/or a specific version your PE doesnt include.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

1 - swear a lot
2 - bang head against brick wall
3 - look skyward and ask "why me lord"
4 - hit the bottle

#1 this is for sure!
#2 there is a possibility
#3 I gave up asking that question
#4 I quit drinking so this one is out

Yeeeeeah... I am very familiar with Linux, I've ran a couple of Debian servers for years and I am familiar with most major distros and desktop environments. I can use Linux as my desktop, if I had to... but I prefer not to, if I can still find options and stick to Windows. The #1 reason is lack of quality, polished desktop software and #2 is that some of my hardware does not get along with Linux too well. But it is a distinct possibly.

Even though my 25H2 build turned up pretty good, I have to admit that the amount of time and effort spent on it was excessive, even by my own standards and I do like to tinker, that's all I do most of my time, when I'm not playing games. But I like it when tinkering is fun and this was not much fun at all. I fully expect that the time to switch may come, but I'm trying to delay it. I'll most likely go with Debian. If that gives me trouble then Fedora. I tested both extensively last year. Both have advantages and disadvantages compared to one another.

What blows my mind is how snappier and smoother both were, even running KDE Plasma which is not a lightweight DE, compared to Windows 11, on the same hardware. That alone would be a strong reason to switch, but I need my apps.

Mac is out. Apple is nearly as bad as Microsoft. They're just really, really good at maintaining "the good guys" appearance and the Mac faithful buy that with a smile. This is why Microsoft is so jealous of Apple. To be honest macOS is better than Windows, faster, smoother, prettier, Apple services work better than MS, so some people prefer that and it's way easier than using Linux. If you tell the AI to leave you alone, it leaves you alone, but there is still tons of of crap in macOS that I would not need or want and it can't be removed. There is no MacLite software that can achieve that. Apple made sure of that. Then, yeah, expensive and proprietary hardware. I don't care how good and shiny it is, if it can't be easily fixed or upgraded. And I play games and that is never gonna work well on Mac.

 

[Necrosaro]

Re

Really? That bad? I'm about to install it on my main desktop today. Uff....

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if it gives me any major trouble. Recent news about Microsoft admitting some of their faults may be encouraging, but I just don't believe them, but who knows. So perhaps going back to 24H2 or even 23H2 might make sense. Then wait a year and see what develops before doing the unthinkable and switching to Linux.

You never know it could work for you but I am on a amd 8350 system and anything that causes a system issue is seen a lot easier on a older CPU then a higher end cpu. Honestly I had everything good then all of a random sudden my media playing hit the bucket and was choppy as heck. Nothing I could do could restore it. Even fresh installs with nothing done was still doing the same thing.

Wife and I watch shows all the time in our downtime when I am not working out and the such so it was a necessity. Gaming was fine actually which was weird.

I got 23H2 back on and no issues and so much easier to tweak till it MHz lol. Will.leave for another year again and see what happens.

 

[Necrosaro]

Re

Really? That bad? I'm about to install it on my main desktop today. Uff....

I'm not sure what I'm gonna do if it gives me any major trouble. Recent news about Microsoft admitting some of their faults may be encouraging, but I just don't believe them, but who knows. So perhaps going back to 24H2 or even 23H2 might make sense. Then wait a year and see what develops before doing the unthinkable and switching to Linux.

Linux while can be fine and dandy for some. Not so much for me. It doesn't have as good of audio for my audio system and it also doesn't have a unified system like windows. I still can get weird things that happen on Linux more so then windows surprisingly.

Its the reason why people put up with it but thank God we have Ntlite to plow through and get rid of the garbage root and stem. 25H2 unfortunately (in my own opinion) just puts too many dependencies in stuff so it breaks things you never knew would. It's a lot of work finding what breaks with what and I just don't want to have to slog my way through that.

 

[Anonymous Internet User]

There are lots of people who just need a web browser and maybe Steam and for those Linux can work, in particular if they have an AMD GPU. For me, not so much. Then they can spend all days on the web telling everybody how great Linux is But I miss some software and I have several hardware problems under Linux.

Yeah, audio is one of my biggest problems with Linux. Quality just isn't the same and, on my two main desktops, none of my audio jacks (analog and SPDIF) on the rear panel work under Linux, only two front jacks. NVIDIA is another problem. There are more hardware issues too, like fan control, mouse software to program buttons. Linux would really be my last resort if Windows besomes unbearable. It really is not a good experience.

Coincidentally, I played around with Debian, Fedora and Cachy OS today so I didn't get around to installing 25H2 yet, maybe tomorrow. Yeah, it was a waste of time. I wanted to try the latest releases and they have the same issues: no audio, problems with GSYNC and few more. I failed to install the latest NVIDIA drivers on Debian too. The UI is snappy and smooth but I need to do stuff on my PC. I didn't test much games since GSYNC didn't work, it was no use. I installed Satisfactory and it ran at nearly the same speed as Windows and there is a native Mod Manager. But without GSYNC I quit trying more games.

Oh, and the best thing: I ran Geekbench 6 under Cachy OS and it came out significantly lower than Windows 11, LOL. All that noise about Cachy, I'm not impressed. I could not benchmark Fedora, because Geekbench was crashing on Fedora. Typical Linux experience.

Oh, and Netflix and others are limited to 720p on Linux due to some copy protection issues. So if you watch any streaming then Linux is not for you. Generally, Linux is a poor choice for multimedia.

So yeah, stuck in Microsoftland for forseeable future. I doubt Linux will improve much, even considering the recent increase in interest. There is too much fragmentation, infitghting within the community and software development moves at glacial pace. Wayland still lacks features and has major issues (like my GSYNC) despite being released a full year before Windows 7.

 

[Selim GURSU]

Hello everyone, I'm joining you from Istanbul, Turkey. I'm a huge fan of NTLite and I hope we have a great time. Best regards, Selim.