I Bought a Refurbished Win 11 Computer

[easysurfer]

I just pulled the trigger and ordered a refurbished Win 11 desktop computer from ebay. My logic is October when Microsoft pushes everyone overboard ending Win 10 support isn't that long from now. Better to deal with this sooner than crunch time when the time nears.

I have 30 days (the computer is returnable, sell pays shipping within 30 days) to get the computer set up right.

I do regretfully need a Win computer for certain things so can just walk away.

 

[jim584672]

I still run Win 11 in a virtual machine in Manjaro Linux. That way I can have MS Office and do H&R Block for taxes. The machine is officially too old for Win 11 but in a VM it doesn't seem to matter.

 

[easysurfer]

I still run Win 11 in a virtual machine in Manjaro Linux. That way I can have MS Office and do H&R Block for taxes. The machine is officially too old for Win 11 but in a VM it doesn't seem to matter.

Did you mean that you still run Win 10?

Some of the programs I need in Win are Turbotax, Garmin Express (yes, I still use an old fashioned GPS), a friendly budget program that is Win only and a video editing program. I thought about using something like Wine for the budget program, but I get flustered trying to use Wine. So, here I am preparing to get suckered another round by Microsoft having to get another computer.

 

[aja8888]

I am still hanging on to a refurbished Win 10 Dell desktop I bought ON SALE from Dell for 50% off. All I use it for is TurboTax. I quit using my wonderful Garmin this year on my recent trip back East and went with Apple Maps on my car's display. It worked OK, but the Garmin does have a lot better features, as old as it is.

Everything else I use is on my Chromebook.

 

[easysurfer]

I am still hanging on to a refurbished Win 10 Dell desktop I bought ON SALE from Dell for 50% off. All I use it for is TurboTax. I quit using my wonderful Garmin this year on my recent trip back East and went with Apple Maps on my car's display. It worked OK, but the Garmin does have a lot better features, as old as it is.

Everything else I use is on my Chromebook.

When October arrives and MS pulls the plug on Win 10 support, will you be one of the folks who will use Win 10 anyhow? I'll take my Garmin any day over a phone for navigation. My main Garmin is an old, trusty, Nuvi 260. The only problem with the Nuvi 260 isn't the device by my eyes getting bad and not seeing the text as well as used to.

 

[aja8888]

When October arrives and MS pulls the plug on Win 10 support, will you be one of the folks who will use Win 10 anyhow? I'll take my Garmin any day over a phone for navigation. My main Garmin is an old, trusty, Nuvi 260. The only problem with the Nuvi 260 isn't the device by my eyes getting bad and not seeing the text as well as used to.

I'm going to upgrade the 10 box to 11 this summer. I still love my Garmin! I just tried the Apple Maps on this trip and they are OK, but nothing to write home about.

 

[Sunset]

I bought one from dellrefurbished due to folks here saying they were good, 13 moths ago.

I paid an extra $29 for a 1 yr warranty (which has just run out and never used).

Total with tax: $506

I got: Dell OptiPlex 7080 SFF
Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-10700 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz
32.0 GB ram
AMD Radeon RX 640 (4 GB) graphics card
512 GB SSD
DVD-RW
Windows 10 Pro that I upgraded for free from MS to Windows 11 Pro

 

[Sunset]

We are also looking to upgrade another Win10 computer to Win 11 by buying a new box.

Just imagine all the flood of Win10 machines, ripe for Linux usage next Oct, Nov, Dec.

 

[jim584672]

Did you mean that you still run Win 10?

Some of the programs I need in Win are Turbotax, Garmin Express (yes, I still use an old fashioned GPS), a friendly budget program that is Win only and a video editing program. I thought about using something like Wine for the budget program, but I get flustered trying to use Wine. So, here I am preparing to get suckered another round by Microsoft having to get another computer.

I actually run Win10 and Win11 in QEMU virtual machines. I would avoid Wine as it doesn't work well. VMs work exactly like a bare metal install. Advanced user territory with QEMU.

 

[dixonge]

I bought a refurb HP Elitebook on Amazon, $199. Bought a little stand and a USB-C hub and ran it in clamshell mode w/ my ultrawide monitor hanging on the wall. Tried running Linux and Windows dual-boot with a QEMU VM for MacOS but could never get the Mac part to run worth a crap. I even upgraded the RAM to 32GB and it didn't help. Went back to just plain old Windows 11 and reformatted the rest of the drive. So, 1TB HDD for Win11.

But then I ended up going back to my old volunteer position with the local community theatre (oldest English-language theatre in Mexico *ahem*) and now I am using multiple pieces of software that are Mac-only. So unless I want to sit *in* the control booth for hours at a time working on stuff, I need my Mac. So I fired up the MacBook Air again and am now running *it* in the same stand w/ the same USB hub.

An unexpected bonus to running my laptop this way instead of my Mac Mini - there is an automatic battery backup when the power goes out - the laptop battery! I discovered this when I was using the HP laptop. The only thing that happens is that the external monitor goes off. When the power comes back up you can just go right back to where you were, losing no work. I should have done this a long time ago...

 

[RetMD21]

Like others I run a few windows programs. I also like using a flatbed scanner with windows. I think some TPM issue is what prevents me from running Win 11. I am interested in the $30 extended security updates.

 

[easysurfer]

Here is the specs of the refurbished desktop I just ordered. Total cost about $220. I may have to take up Fortnite .

 

[AudiDudi]

Here is the specs of the refurbished desktop I just ordered. Total cost about $220. I may have to take up Fortnite .

View attachment 56317

I'm looking at this one: $239 My current one I bought as a refurb in 2016. Added an SSD (big improvement!) and replaced the power supply. Good litte box. W10 pro so this will allow time to get it set up.

HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF Windows 11 Pro Desktop Computer PC - Intel Core I5-8500 Processor Up to 4.10 GHz | 16GB DDR4 RAM | 512GB NVMe SSD | WIFI | Bluetooth - Black/Silver​

 

[aja8888]

I just looked at my Dell refurb I bought a while ago and it has TPM 1.2 which makes it not upgradeable to Win 11. I double checked with Dell.

 

[Al18]

If the apps you use are not processor intensive (video production, 3D modeling, etc), then I suggest a miniPC with a Intel N100 4 core CPU with 16 GB RAM and 500 MB SSD, bundled with Windows 11 Pro for about $150 on Amazon.

 

[easysurfer]

I'm looking at this one: $239 My current one I bought as a refurb in 2016. Added an SSD (big improvement!) and replaced the power supply. Good litte box. W10 pro so this will allow time to get it set up.

HP ProDesk 400 G5 SFF Windows 11 Pro Desktop Computer PC - Intel Core I5-8500 Processor Up to 4.10 GHz | 16GB DDR4 RAM | 512GB NVMe SSD | WIFI | Bluetooth - Black/Silver​

My kind of thinking too, to allow some time to set things up. Usually, I've both Dell refurbished in the past. Mainly because I know of a website for replacement parts if I need to work on them in the future. But I decided to go with another brand this time around.

 

[Al18]

Easy surfer, that PC you linked to is not officially Windows 11 compatible, because it has a 6th gen Intel CPU. You should get a computer with an Intel 8th gen CPU or newer.

I would not trust a computer with a hacked OS.

 

[aja8888]

If the apps you use are not processor intensive (video production, 3D modeling, etc), then I suggest a miniPC with a Intel N100 4 core CPU with 16 GB RAM and 500 MB SSD, bundled with Windows 11 Pro for about $150 on Amazon.

Were you referring to my Dell incompatibility thread?

 

[easysurfer]

Easy surfer, that PC you linked to is not officially Windows 11 compatible, because it has a 6th gen Intel CPU. You should get a computer with an Intel 8th gen CPU or newer.

I would not trust a computer with a hacked OS.

Wait.. what?

Thanks for pointing this out. Guess this computer is going back. Good thing I was smart enough to buy one that is returnable with seller paying shipping.

The seller is not a regular Joe but a company too. Lesson learned. Trust nobody.

 

[Al18]

If you bought a refurbished desktop computer from Dell within the last 4 years, I strongly believe it’s Windows 11 compatible. Dell was shipping new desktop PC’s with 8th gen CPU in 2017-2019.

 

[jim584672]

Make sure it is 8th gen.

 

[Al18]

Easy surfer,

Microsoft posts a list of supported CPU Windows processor requirements Windows 11 supported Intel processors

In general, an 8th gen CPU or newer is needed to run Windows 11.

The specs you listed in post #12 show a computer with a 6th gen CPU.

There are unofficial hacks posted on the internet allowing you to run Windows 11 on older hardware. These hacks may break when Windows 11 is updated - typically twice a year. I wouldn’t trust a computer with a hacked OS, to store sensitive financial info. You need to make your own decision.

 

[aja8888]

If you bought a refurbished desktop computer from Dell within the last 4 years, I strongly believe it’s Windows 11 compatible. Dell was shipping new desktop PC’s with 8th gen CPU in 2017-2019.

Are you responding to me? If so, use reply to instead of just dropping a reply in the string of posts. Thanks, and yes I bought it in 2018 and could not get a fix from Dell using the service tag so I called and spoke with them. It needs TPM 2.0 and mine has 1.2 making it non compatible.

 

[easysurfer]

I messaged the seller on ebay that if the computer is already shipped (it's already listed as label created in FEDEX), then I plan on returning it. Otherwise, I asked him to cancel as I don't want a non-compliant CPU.

 

[Graybeard]

I only read the OP's post. There is a plan where you can keep using your Win 10 pc and pay for an extended service contract and don't need to buy a new pc when yours is working fine and meets your needs.