Tech Corner

[MaloK]

It's where my Dead pan psychology get over big mouths. I'm a really cool guy honestly... And will listen to anything... Understand and be able to fold when reason wins.

I always keep in mind that someone is unable to even describe the issue... I learn fast.

If you start to want to mess up... You're in for a ride. I brush "with" lawyers, cops and judges on regular... And these guys are clueless...

TCP ip, Alarms, surveillance, you cannot fool with me.

And every lying bstrd became a part of the pavement I'm standing on.

I'll tell the truth right now even if my life depend on it.

But I reminded one of them more than once on the real facts that should be considered first.

One thing to love about experience is, the next job is only going to be easier.

 

[jaylach]

When I say clients would lie to me and still expect a fix two stick out.

• A lady refused to run any security as she considered it to be more hassle than help but would pay me to clean her system a few times a year. As Forest Gump said; "Stupid is as stupid does."
• A client with a laptop suddenly would not boot. I asked if the system had been dropped and it was denied. I mean come on... I could see the scuff and dent in a corner from the impact. The impact had dislodged the RAM and re-seating solved all. Even after I pointed all this out a drop was still denied saying the dent was always there but it wasn't a month earlier when I did some other work on the thing.

Just don't need that garbage anymore. I DO have a new job presently... Well, actually, I've had this job for almost 8 years. That job is called retirement and is the best job I've ever had.

-------------------------------------------------
Just finishing doing a flash drive with a Windows 11 install to use on my main system and MS Surface as an upgrade install. Both have had Windows 11 installed before when free so upgrading again won't cost me anything as they each already have a digital license.

My Surface is no issue as it actually qualifies for Windows 11 but my main fails on the CPU which is stupid as it is a Ryzen 7 8 core/16 thread CPU that will run just about anything without breaking a sweat.

On the main system I won't upgrade before making a current clone backup of the Windows 10 install just in case.

 

[MaloK]

I agree, that I have not dealt directly with customers often for technical advice... I tell the seller what customers need and deal with technical implementation. ( that makes me responsible of sellers speech )

And I haven't seen much of the impressive one of them lately...

And without any presumption, While they always ask for someone else... The poor ladies always ended with me in their face if they where not happy. And Honestly tried to make customers conscious of the inflation of the problem it really is / was..

And the guy that sends me there knows I'm going to bash him as much if he's wrong.

But I bashed them enough to be careful and last years where like complementing a thought.

Now we sell to Schools board, pharmacies and a lots of car dealers that want 100% On site control of every movement.

And Since I was kind of really severe, I mean a seller must know what he sells and be able to demonstrate it.

And a concurring boss, that is far from a yes man... With backup...

Our company is able to install the most comprehensive solutions in the most harsh conditions. And the smallest projects can take time before they get done.

If they made it. We configure it. The smaller you are the tougher it is... loll.

This is where you need someone like me... Sponsored by my boss to bring common sense solution to be discussed. And I decide what has to be billed.

At this point in my life, I fall asleep hoping my boss has a long and prosperous life. And he cares for me has much as I am for him now.

On the processing level The last Rizen I got is 24+2 cores at 3.4-4.8 GHz, loll and I think the CPU fan have never needed to turn on already and probably never will. I use it as a workstation and can run 4 x 4 cores virtual engines...

On a laptop

+ 512 video cores at 3ghz and...

I have to follow this closer... I mean. I wait a lot... But this was more than a small speed upgrade.

 

[jaylach]

For those that may want to upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 but the CPU is not compliant. This does nothing for TPM or Secure Boot. This is for an upgrade install. For a clean install the process is a bit different.

1) Download and execute the following registry hack. This will cause the Windows 11 installer to not abort for the CPU.
https://jaylach.com/downloads/Enable-Unsupported-Upgrades.zip

2) Choose to NOT check for updates before installing.

3) You will get the following warning. From doing this in the past the warning about not getting updates is just MS covering their butts. I never had an update issue.

4) You will then continue through the upgrade as normal.

 

[MaloK]

Using DISM to maintain a windows installation and off line Image.

This is a little quick to consult major dism most often used commands

1. Mount your Windows.ISO or plug your usb installation drive.

2. Open 'Windows Powershell' or 'Command Prompt' with Admin privileges (right click -> Run as Administrator).

Check the health of current windows installation:
dism /online /cleanup-image /scanhealth

Check if current Windows in repairable:
dism /online /cleanup-image /checkhealth

Try to restore windows integrity:
dism /online /cleanup-image /restorehealth

If the thing gives you an error stating that it could not perform the task.
Now it's when the mounted ISO comes into play. Let's specify the file from the ISO so that we can fix it.

Run the following command: (Notice that you must use correct drive letter on which your system has mounted the ISO) ESD or WIM has to be specified as index number of the source.
dism /online /cleanup-Image /restoreHealth /source:ESD:G:\Sources\Install.esd:6 /limitAccess

Suceeded... Now let's repair any damage in the system files:
sfc /scannow

Convert an esd to a wim:
dism /export-image /sourceimagefile:G:\sources\install.esd /sourceIndex:1 /destinationimagefile:C:\Sources\Install.wim /compress:max /checkIntegrity

Get offline image information:
dism /get-imageInfo /imagefile:G:\sources\install.esd
dism /get-imageInfo /imagefile:G:\sources\install.wim

Component Store Maintenance:
dism /online /cleanup-image /analyzecomponentstore
dism /online /cleanup-image /startcomponentcleanup

Now Get a list of installed features packages and drivers:
dism /online /get-features
dism /online /get-packages
dism /online /get-drivers
dism /Online /get-provisionedappxpackages

Enable or remove a feature:
dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:<FeatureName> /all
dism /online /disable-feature /featureName:<FeatureName> /remove

Remove packages and drivers:
dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Package_for_KBxxxxxx
dism /online /remove-package /packagepath:"C:\Path\To\Your\Package.cab"
dism /online /remove-package /packagename:Package1 /packagename:Package2

Mount an installation image to update it:
dism /Mount-Image /ImageFile:G:\sources\install.wim /Index:6 /MountDir:C:\mount

Add packages and drivers to mounted image:
dism /Image:C:\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\packages\your_package.cab"
dism /Image:C:\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\packages\your_update.msu"
dism /Image:C:\mount /Add-Package /PackagePath:"C:\packages"
dism /Image:C:\mount /Add-Driver /Driver:"C:\drivers\mydriver.inf"
dism /Image:C:\mount /Add-Driver /Driver:"C:\drivers" /Recurse
dism /image:C:\mount /Remove-Driver /Driver:oem1.inf
dism /image:C:\mount /Remove-Driver /Driver:oem1.inf /Driver:oem2.inf /Driver:oem3.inf

Verify if successful:
dism /Image:C:\mount /Get-Packages
dism /Image:C:\mount /Get-Drivers

Unmount and commit or discard changes to image:
dism /Unmount-Image /MountDir:C:\mount /Commit
dism /Unmount-Image /MountDir:C:\mount /Discard

 

[jaylach]

I tried upgrading to 11 yesterday evening and all went well as to the install but it won't boot. It starts but then just goes to a dark screen. I have seen this before and have to look at how the 11 drive is connected. When this happened before I was experimenting with adapter cards that would plug in a PCIe slot and adapt for an M.2 drive. I will have to check things out.

Has to kept in mind that my posted solution for the CPU DOES work for the install but does not mean it will actually work without issues.

 

[MaloK]

What kind of hardware ?

 

[jaylach]

What kind of hardware ?

The only reported failure without using hacks is that the CPU is first generation Ryzen 7.

 

[MaloK]

It's not "that" old. It should work. If you give me more of your specs I may have suggestions if you want.

 

[jaylach]

It's not "that" old. It should work. If you give me more of your specs I may have suggestions if you want.

I have a hunch and will have to pull out the system to check. It MAY just an adapter card that causes the issue.

 

[seangee]

Could be an incorrectly identified driver. I found that some hardware that used to work with a generic driver stopped working because the DB could not find a match for the device identifier. (IIRC mine was an addon sata card).

 

[MaloK]

The most often culprit for a black screen is no good video drivers where loaded and sometimes it can also be resolution is out of monitor range capability...

EFI configuration could also do the same with non EFI hardware. But most of the time if windows see your drive at installation it will be able to boot from it, there's some exceptions with nvme drives using addon card on older motherboards, But most of the time they cause bsod cannot find boot drive or insert boot disk error.

My first try is to install bare bone with another video card and all other adapter removed, only what is required to install Windows.

 

[jaylach]

I suspect that the issue is a PCIe 16X slot to M.2 drive adapter. Had this issue the last time I had Windows 11 on the system and thought it was caused by an update but it was at the same time I was experimenting with the adapters. The adapter is probably the more likely culprit.

When I get around to it I'll pull the system out of its recess as I think one of the adapters is still in the system. If the adapter is still mounted it would be holding the drive to which I installed Windows 11. Not really any hurry.

 

[MaloK]

If you use Bios/EFI that does not support Nvme booting you can use a usb drive to install boot loader like clover that will pass instruction to any drive you want.

Another thing that can be tried is to have a fully working install with all controllers and drives installed moved to an upper support.

 

[jaylach]

If you use Bios/EFI that does not support Nvme booting you can use a usb drive to install boot loader like clover that will pass instruction to any drive you want.

Another thing that can be tried is to have a fully working install with all controllers and drives installed moved to an upper support.

Can't see NVME being the issue as my current Windows 10 system drive is NVME and boots fine as did Windows 11 previously before playing with the drive adapters and/or a problem update.

I have a clone backup going right now to restore the second M.2 to Windows 10 so I am sure to have at least one drive booting. I used to use Acronis True Image for doing clones but they switched my lifetime license to a subscription and I'm not about to pay them again. I'm currently using EaseUS ToDo. I never liked how much resource was used by Acronis anyway. I would install, create a boot optical disk and uninstall. The boot optical may or may not still work but I decided to go with ToDo for a while as I liked it years ago.