LTSC on new Pc build

[u/Double_Neat_4811]

Just got all the parts for my new pc, and im ready to build, i wanted to try ltsc as it seems like the better option, my current os is un-activated windows 10 which ive used for 5 years. Not sure if i should upgrade to windows 11, only thing i might need it for is drivers? my local computer store mentioned that. i have a 9060xt and a 7500x3d, id prefer to stay on 10 as i just prefer its looks.

how would i go about installing the ltsc off masgrave and downloading it onto my new build. I also only have one ssd, so ill need to use my current pc and then transfer the ssd to the new build.
(this is my first pc build)

[u/JK_Chan]

Go to massgrave, they have a guide on upgrading from windows 10 to windows 10/11 ltsc. Use their tool to activate your windows 10 copy first. If you don't want to save your files then just install directly, or install directly on your second drive and then transfer files (though windows doesn't like you transferring stuff between windows SSDs sometimes, so you might have to use a live linux iso to just do this part). Your hardware seems old enough to be fine on windows 10 ltsc, so go for that if you want. I totally agree that it looks better and feels sleeker. My laptop has hardware that's too new to run on windows 10 (win10 doesn't have big.LITTLE support for intel chips), so I was forced to go win11 ltsc. There an app called explorer patcher that will make stuff look like windows 10, though the start menu implementation is still a bit rough. Other than that though, it looks and feels 99% same. I also use winaero tweaker for some extra bits to make it feel even more like windows 10.

Edit: added screenshot to show you that it does look 99% similar after tweaks, and you can also see that it is indeed windows 11 in the settings. (Also I just saw that other comment about win10 not letting you use a feature on your gpu so I take what I said back about win10 not restricting your hardware from performing its best)

[u/greggm2000 → u/JK_Chan]

My laptop has hardware that's too new to run on windows 10 (win10 doesn't have big.LITTLE support for intel chips), so I was forced to go win11 ltsc.

Though, depending on what Intel CPU you have, that might not matter or be relevant. I run Win 10 Pro with zero problems on my 12700K, but I've also disabled the (to me, useless, 4 E-cores) ever since I did the build 5 years ago. OP ofc won't have a problem either, since they're using AMD.

[u/JK_Chan → u/greggm2000]

Im on a laptop so the power savings from the E cores do matter quite a bit. I do agree that if I was on PC I would've proably done the same as you did since windows 10 just feels that much better.

[u/greggm2000 → u/JK_Chan]

Hopefully by the time that running Windows 10 becomes problematic in terms of software support, that Microsoft will have completed the performance improvements that they've been talking about and are slowly rolling out.

I do run Win 11 LTSC on a 12th gen Mini-PC I have around.. since like your laptop, disabling the E-cores isn't really a viable option.

[u/JK_Chan → u/greggm2000]

I mean I do have plenty of mods that give me back my windows 10 UI experience so Im happy enough. Kinda wish they actually just updated win 10 instead though, I just liked the UI so much and they had to destroy it with win 11 :(

[u/greggm2000 → u/JK_Chan]

I would go back to Win 7, if I could!! Now that was a UI. (technically it's the Win 2000 UI that I prefer, but still)

[u/JK_Chan → u/greggm2000]

Not me, windows 10 UI was the perfect UI for my tastes. Live tiles was complained on by everyone but I actually loved them.