So, you lost me, are you looking for an alternative to Adobe bloatware, M$ spyware, both? LTSC is good-ish (tolerable, regular Windows is NOT in my mind) and I don't give a #@$k about legality. I paid for Windows, and since M$ doesn't care about my right to privacy or to control my own PC, I'll use whatever version I want. All version of 10+ are way, WAY beyond intrusive, and "tweaking" the @#%$ out of them is mandatory to me. Adobe is almost as bad and I have no idea why anyone uses, or pays them money for their products, but I had no idea they were blocking LTS versions. Wow, that is sketchy as F. I just would not use them at all. I won't use anything with the word "cloud" in the title or description, at all, ever. So you have LTSC, or a tweaked version of Windows via MSMG or something like Slimdown10 (no longer developed but still good) to gain back some control of it, but both of those require a bit of skill and patience. I'm assuming Linux is not an option for you and is no good for Adobe stuff. Then you have other options to replace Adobe stuff. Gimp, Paint.net, etc. Depends how advanced you need it to be or whatever.
I could try it, I don't have a server 2022 iso though. Adobe's official policy is they wont support long term service branches ever at all anymore. :-/ That said if I could get hacks to work I might try it, i'm not sure if I should just put on Win 11 or stick with a modified version of Win 10 a bit longer, since i'm sure it wont be forever longer that it will work without forcing an upgrade anyway.
If you want a non-LTS Windows but without the spyware and bloat and background hogging nonsense, I'd seriously dig into that Slimdown10 (more automated and aggressive with the goal of being Windows 7-like) or MSMG (does whatever you tell it) link above to debloat the ISO before installation even happens. Just be aware, it (Slimdown10) makes some drastic changes like replacing the start menu with OpenShell by default, so you need to read through the script and delete or comment out things you don't want to happen. If that is too much to get into for you, then I guess...I don't know. Windows is a giant hunk of malware now and there is no easy way to "opt out" without some serious reading and learning how to use the tools to "fix" it.
Don't tested personally with the Adobe stuff but the obvious move would be to install LTSC (or server) and SKUwitch to Pro/Enterprise/whatever (Permanently or temporarily depending if the check is just on setup or in the program itself)
No no, it's not too much, I just wasn't sure where to even start because I had no idea either of those projects existed. I remembered things like 98lite and XPlite back in the day (is that what slimdown is? I havent even looked yet just taking notes for future research/I need the new PC first) which decrapified some aspects which I liked, though at times it would break other things. But first you had to know the projects even existed. I'm just trying to get back up to speed. And thats kind of it, it's a giant hunk of malware, but it's a hunk of malware necessary in the industry thats the only thing paying any of my bills right now. (not very well, I live just below the poverty line, but without that i'd have nothing at this moment) It just made it obvious that after years of putting up with it, nothing is going to get better i've got to pro-actively learn all the different options that exist and see if I can make things work better as they are because it's starting to get intolerable and i'm wondering if its all the background "Database everything" crap causing those slowdowns.
Could you tell me about the server versions? Do I just turn off 'server' features and use it as a desktop or is anything really much different? Do they just disable all the 'endless updates and blah' like LTSC or make it more like the semi annual channel or...? Any suggestions where i'd find those ISO's (just for learning of course) and do they unlock the same with the various unlock tools?
AFAIK Adobe CC apps won't run on server editions either. If you have to use Adobe CC products, only W10 22H2 or W11 23H2 / 22H2 are supported. You may want to customize W11 Pro and be done with the OS requirement; there's buzz over in the Slimdown10 thread of a W11 fork. Slimdown10 – turn Windows 10 22H2 or LTSC 2021 into classic/legacy Windows Perhaps check that out, or this project devoted to disabling telemetry: https://forums.mydigitallife.net/th...lemetry-repository.63874/page-66#post-1686849
Yeah, pretty much, except they're just scripts that use Windows own DISM to remove pretty much all "apps" and telemetry stuff from the ISO, then make a new ISO without all that on it so it never gets installed with Windows to begin with. Slimdown10 has to be tweaked to your liking in advance of running it and can be too aggressive (IMO) if you don't take the time to tweak it first. Like replacing the start menu, or removing too much of Software Protection Platform, causing error spam (harmless but annoying to me) in Event Viewer. MSMG Toolkit is more of a "script/GUI" you can navigate and tweak as you go. It can remove some things that will "break" things so, takes a bit of either in depth knowledge or trial and error. Like disabling System Restore, or Defender seems fine, but if you completely remove them, things get weird. Then that sku trick @acer-5100 mentioned may be a good one too. I've never done that.
I already replied to you elsewhere about this. There is no server feature enabled by default, if you need one or more of them you need to enable them using the server manager (or DISM, or Powershell) Maybe in the server room? Did you get anything of what I wrote? Sever is activable just like any windows, but HERE the point would be to switch it to PRO/Enterprise/Whatever, because your specific needs, so even if server wasn't activable Pro/Enterprise are.
Sorry if I seem dense, it's been years since I had to do an install so i'm struggling to even remember the process. I should have enough information to get started so when I next have the hardware in front of me i'll sit down and start muddling through it.
I had never had issues installing and playing with Adobe product into any Windows 10 any editions up to LTSC, for Windows 11 any editions up to IoT as well.. never had trouble as far i know.. ATGPUD2003
Rome wasn't built in a day, just test it in a native vhdx or inside a virtual machine, then decide, after looking if it solves your problem. About the "process" I provided a link, if something specific is still not clear just ask.
If you are going to use legitimate Adobe CC apps then my first advice is to forget about Windows 10. Why? Adobe will immediately stop supporting Windows 10 as soon as it reaches end-of-life and end-of-life for retail Windows 10 is very soon. Why scramble about installing Windows 11 in a couple of years, when you could install it right-now and not have to worry about for awhile? If you could use LTSC or IOT, then that is a whole different story, but for official Adobe you're out-of-luck. So that leaves you with Windows 11. You really want to use some type of debloating tool for Windows 11. My second advice its to use a GitHub Windows 11 debloating project that is extensively discussed on this MDL thread: Optimize-Offline Guide - Windows Debloating Tool The second line in the OP thanks "@gdeliana who created the fork of Godhand' s Script we are using for Windows 10 and Windows 11." You want to use @gdeliana's fork to debloat Windows 11. Is there a learning curve? Yes! But at least the project is well supported by two really talented developers. So the time you invest won't be wasted on a project that disappears when someone croaks or gets bored with developing it. I think I read somewhere that @gdeliana is using his efforts in developing his fork of the project for his resume portfolio, so the quality of his work is outstanding.