PC Tech Thread

My laptop Fn lock is a software and boot thing.

It can only be changed using a pre-2024 version of Lenovo Vantage, and is not accessible anywhere else.

Caps lock + Fn, or Fn pressed multiple times, does nothing.

But, if the laptop is booted into Linux, and the battery dies, the Fn lock switches.

You can imagine how much fun that can be.

This will be one of the following settings:

• 'Secure boot'
  
• 'Legacy/UEFI boot mode'
  
• 'RAID'
  
  

All related to the way Windows boots from the SSD. If you haven't reinstalled the OS already, post screenshots of the above settings from the BIOS.

Thanks.
Secure boot was on, RAID wasn't enabled.
I can't recall legacy/UEFI boot mode, but I've done a fresh reinstall now anyway.

Time to unplug everything from the mobo apart from the SSD and see if it boots. Are there any POST beeps?

If you use Rufus to make the usb installer from a W11 iso it'll prompt you to make an installer with out any of the stupid requirements as well as disabling all the telemetry and need to make an account with a Microsoft account

I think that's how I'll end up going. I've got a TPM chip on the way so I'm going to see if that helps anything.

Fyi only 8th gen and later intel CPUs are supported too, I often use the Rufus trick to bypass that alone. Also when you install W11 use Chris Titus's tool, it is excellent for removing bloat, tracking etc and restoring things like the proper right click menu

I've got my TPM chip and I've found a USB stick. If I use the Rufus method, can it do an in place upgrade? I'm thinking in terms of licensing - I have a legit win10 install, I don't want to buy Win11.

Also, trying to run Rufus, I don't get the "TPM-free" option shown here or the DOWNLOAD option in the second screen...

Is there a different set of .iso I need to locate first?

Mine was downloaded in April 2023 from MS : Win11_22H2_EnglishInternational_x64v1.iso

FUCKSAKE

"You should be mindful however that, for the ISO download feature to be proposed you also need to have 'Check for updates' enabled in the Rufus settings."

How the cunting fuck are these two options related? Fucking software engineers...

VPN must've been blocking whatever it uses to grab ISOs. Fucking software engineers...