Yep, hoping someone finds a loophole. Honestly funny that this is the version of Windows they should be selling but it is the version that you can’t buy.
Pipe down peasant, get back to the data collection fields!
See the last bullet point…that is the clincher right there. It is tailored for embedded system applications. Literally offline applications if necessary.
As an example, we have a pretty expensive tool measuring machine at work with Windows 10 (Probably LTSC, though it doesn’t brag about it when it boots up or show anything different in the System info) and the software that runs on top of “Windows” HAS to work 100% of the time. It never gets updates, never talks to the outside world unless it is told to, refuses all but the most basic networking traffic.
It can have most of the major functions of Windows but the vendor who makes this equipment strips it down so it can not be turned into the heaviest doorstop you have ever seen.
TL;dr example
Interestingly, the MSATA drive was failing in it after only 3 years of service. The replacement drive would have been around $400 from the manufacturer. The technician I worked with figured I knew a few things about computers and let me know the primary MSATA drive it uses is not hard coded to the machine and an “off the shelf” MSATA could be put in place but would take some extra steps to restore the OS, their software and current backup image of the database.
Bought two (2) drives of the same make/size as the original for $100 shipped to the shop, he walked me through the steps to restore and it never missed a beat. Now I have a hot spare for the future as MSATA drives have not been mainstream for about 5 years now.
I can’t thank you enough for warning me about that site.
It’s probably supported by… ummm… “tools” if you can’t get any sense out of Microsoft’s AI bots that masquerade as help.
Yeah, I’ve done some digging, but it is pretty clear that you cannot get a “valid copy” of LTSC unless you run a business that requires an offline, embedded software. I guess starting an arcade game startup is a faster way to obtain a license of LTSC than negotiating with Microsoft and their nonsense.
If you want to run a valid, legitimate Windows, then you have no other choice other than regular Windows 11. As far as I can see (or at least on my Framework), there is no noticeable benefit in performance of games between regular Windows and LTSC version. Apart from the smaller storage footprint, that is.
How big is the difference in Win 11 LTSC’s storage footprint? Saving room is certainly nice.
I actually have an 100% offline / airgapped, dedicated use case in mind…but don’t fit into the first two bullet points.
I can’t remember what the initial installation size was from top of my head, but as far as I remember, it was 10+ GB smaller. I assume most of the storage save comes from pre-installed applications.
Space is certainly a plus, but in my mind it is the absence of a lot of systems that phone home and do telemetry. There is no need for those systems to exist on an airgapped device.
Windows is modular, and until it isn’t this means that with registry modifications, group policies, and other tools you can modify Windows how you wish. WIth things like portmaster you are able to control what services and processes can connect to the internet and where on the internet they can connect.
Things like the LTSC build just make it easier to reach the end state.
I have purchased my first Win 11 LTSC key. I had to go back forth with our Vendor and also Dell. Dell is listed in the URL some where earlier in this thread as reseller of LTSC by MS on the SM web page. I was asked at point during this process is if it was for new machines (likely OEM) or existing machines. I was able to get quote from each and purchased one license for testing.
IT may be possible for some of you to form a single man LLC. When i forked for a mom pop PC shop in the days of yore, we had to adhire by certain laws such as generation serial numbers and applying them to any PC we built, i guess we were considered the OEM, at least over a certain dollar value. i would hope you could form an LLC and just buy a licinese for pre existing machine.
i guess MS considered stuff like ATM and Industrial control boxes as HIGH CONTROL applications where the customer would need to maintain control of the machine. ANYTHING ELSE, OFFICES PERSONAL, COMMERCIAL, ENTERPRISE IS FOR MS CONTROL! They do not need to control their own OS, MS can do it…with candy crush and xbox apps.
There is truth to that. However in certain AD/Cisco environments portmaster causes chaos and glitches with certain DNS functions. ADDITIONALLY MS changes the registry and GPO switches often, there are cyber security websites that track those changes to help some disable as often as possible as they will default on when those switches change. years ago someone linked me to one of these sites unfortuantley at this time, it’s saved in a pile of hundreds of save linked. It is a PCI/HIPPA/PII violation waiting to happen. especially if you users are searching for said files with the start menu. never mind recall WHICH BTW MS reversed course again and is now proceeding with RECALL AGAIN!
ok i thought there was only one version of 11 LTSC because googling that brings up LTSC IoT
but, there are two version listed in the portal. one specifically states 10 years support (IoT) and the other listed via windows version 22H2, 24H2 etc etc
Yep, there are several differences between IoT and non-IoT version of LTSC.
Apart from the support window, the differences are:
Features | Non-IoT | IoT |
---|---|---|
TPM | Required | Not required |
Automatic Device Encryption | Enabled | Not enabled |
HWID activation availability | No | Yes |
Multiple RDP session | No | Yes |
…so on and so forth. If I were to pick one, I’d definitely go for the IoT version without hesitation. (Unavailable features can be force-enabled with some dism
black magic so…)
where’d you find that???
sounds like IoT would be great for personal use and specific use and LTSC NON iot could be good enterprise and commerical use as well.
You can find links to where MS have hidden the LTSC download .iso’s via sites that I can’t link to from here
[Moderator’s note: edited to remove suggestion to pirated software site]
Note to moderator : the page in question contains links to Microsoft.com download pages. Consider reinstating.
i meant the information in comparisons of versions MS hasn’t even published a page acknowledging LTSC NON iot. I have all the DL links from the volume lisicneing partner program.
any MS link is not link to piracy
the green one if you have account with get you your designated access to the entire MS catalog
Topic closed. Windows 11 LTSC is not intended for regular users and when means of bypassing this are discussed that’s where we have to draw the line.