Red recently commented in the Desktop Screenshot post that he wanted to restore his Gallery.

That's no small thing, at least 116 pages, atm...and maybe Jafo isn't done restoring it, just yet.

At "Hogwart's - WinCustomize Branch", Jafo's wand has the most magic, and this job needed the max. Luckily for Jim, Jafo was in a good mood. [e digicons];)[/e]  

So, without further ado, pop over to Master Jim's Gallery and fill up your shopping bags with all manner of Redneck goodies...and remember to say thanks to the guy who made all those goodies, and the one who restocked the shelves, because...as the Eminem album and song said...

He's  b-a-a-c-c-ck!

I had sent some im's to Steve, aka WebGizmos (https://www.wincustomize.com/explore/all/search/WebGizmos ), that went unanswered. Then I checked his facebook page and noted his last post was from July, 2023.

With apprehension, I searched the web, and found the link noted above: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/mcall/name/stephen-welsh-obituary?id=52685660. So I im'd Lightstar, and RedneckDude to learn if they had heard anything...but no, they hadn't.

I im'd Jorge (JcRabbit), but he hasn't answered yet...he has a new baby at home, so that might take a while. Jorge was a generous friend to Steve, sending him a new computer when his old one went to the Pearly Gates Repair Service.

So, why rush with the obituary? Well, because knowing him, it seems pretty clear he's gone, and everyone should have people who acknowledge, love and miss them.

"See? I told you I was sick." comes to mind. We used to laugh about that one.

Since we talked often, he revealed he was having pain and tightness in his left arm. Well, it didn't sound coronary, but I advised him to go to the hospital. To make a long story shorter, and for me more bearable to tell, it turned out he had a Thalamic stroke. The pain and discomfort were severe, and pretty much untreatable...and the available options weren't available, really, with his health insurance. He therefore stopped skinning. This was around the time Xiandi made "Pressurized", I think. He had to use opioids. His dog, Kannon (his only companion) died well before him, sadly.

Because of an immanent ceiling collapse and rent problems, Steve moved to a new place, last year. He became scooter dependent for his mobility. He couldn't maintain his old truck. 

In July, 2023 he entered Hospice care, and passed on in August 2023.

Anyhow, that's the story as far as I know...kind of disjointed, but that's how I'm feeling at the moment.

Rest in Peace, Steve. You were a good, kind soul who didn't ask for much in this life. Jafo, thanks for promoting him to Master, back then.

If anyone feels the urge, you can leave a comment on the link above for the funeral home.

May already...where does it go?

Mine is Hardwood by RnD, with the Winstep port by Giz. I usually run without the NexStart taskbar, though not here. The wall is mine AI with Ps and others.

Happy April Fool's day...

For my desktop I chose Naked by vStyler and its port to Winstep by Webgizmos. The wall is AI, Ps and On1 Effects of a Dragon in an Aladdin's lamp, by me.

Post yours!

Moment 5's now available for download. Neowin published a great guide at the external link above for W11 systems fulfilling MS's official requirements as well as those which don't.

They also provided a link to explain M5's new features.

When it comes to updates, I've learned to be shall we say...cautious. I'm not advocating "force updating" simply because I figure there will be many changes and "hiccups" before the mandatory update appears...and even then I tend to put things off a bit to allow the dust to settle a bit.

So, here it is to your perusal.

Enjoy, people!  [e digicons]:wc:[/e]  

So, I decided to keep my same Acrylic desktop...then, everyone under the Sun decided to update me! [e digicons];P[/e]  

Post yours folks...I'm busy updating this rig!

For a deep dive into the expected changes to Windows 11, here's an excellent article sent to me by my trusty source Hankers of the Frozen North. Thanks, buddy. You've inspired me in many ways, and have been a great mentor. I expanded on your tip because of the appearance of subsequent additional important articles quoted here.

The Windows 11's 24H2 Update will require hardware that supports POPCNT (SSE4.2 or SSE4a). I remember predicting in a prior article regarding W12, just this kind of turn of events just as W11 upgrade from W10 had requirements re chip, etc.

From the title, it's clear what that requirement is. If you update to 24H2 without your chip having the required instructions, your computer will crash on boot.

So, how to check if your computer's CPU can handle the 24H2 Update? Neowin published an article dealing with just that, although the gHacks article linked goes through the same explanation.

"Option 1: CPU-Z

Download CPU-Z from the official website, run it, and check the Instruction box. Look for SSE4A if you use an AMD processor and SSE4.2 if you use an old Intel chip.

Option 2: Official websites

Go to Settings > System > About and check the "Processor" box. If you use Intel, go to this website and search for your processor model. See the "Instruction Set Extension" and make sure it mentions SSE4.2.

AMD does not have a single page where you can find specs for every chip the company ever released. Therefore, use third-party websites for CPU tracking, like TechPowerUP. Look for SSE4A in the list of supported instructions or instruction extensions.

Option 3: A simple third-party tool

Enthusiasts have already created apps that can let you run checks and see what specs are missing in your computer. This open-source utility with a witty name, WhyNotWinAI, can show you if your chip supports the POPCNT instruction. You can download it from GitHub for free. Look for the "CPU supports POPCNT instruction" line.

If your computer does not support the necessary instruction, this is the end of the road for you. With that said, we will have to wait for the official Windows 11 24H2 release to see if the change sticks around. Meanwhile, you can learn how to install Windows 11 on unsupported hardware using our guide."

- Taras Buria, Neowin

If your computer's CPU does not fulfill the POPCNT demand, I'd strongly advise not doing the update. Of course, we can expect hackers to try to bypass this requirement, but I would not place much faith in assurances (theirs or others) that their hack will work, because this requirement is quoted as being not bypassable.

Have a great weekend, folks. Here's mine...with the required SSE4.2 as my CPU is Intel.

Chilly here...and it influenced my desktop. Rainy, as well...snowing like crazy in the far(ther) north.

Anyway, Aero11 (clear) by SimplexDesigns, Start11 Modern Style, Fences 5 and Windows 7 Xtreme from Winstep Technologies. Wall...one from the web (which I dubbed the Ice Star), modified with on1 Effects 2024.

Hope it's warmer where you are...

To all our friends down under, Happy Australia Day...as it's 26.1.

Let's hoist a healthy brew or 10 to the inhabitants of the great continent where all the wildlife tries to kill the stubborn, hearty folks frustrating their best efforts!

[e digicons]:beer:[/e] [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  [e digicons]:beer:[/e]  

(You'll know you've had sufficient beer when the title looks perfectly normal to you).

I wish I could say I'm surprised, but I can't. I don't know if it's true, but I expected this. Just like W11...which W12 will be, or 24H2, Hudson Valley or Next Valley...a rose by any other name. 

New chip and RAM requirements.

Apparently 16 GBs of RAM for your CoPilot, a new keyboard with a CoPilot key, Lunar Lake chips as Meteor Lake chips have too few operations per second for AI:

"For reference, the current Intel Meteor Lake CPUs run at 34 TOPS, making them ineligible to power AI PCs. However, the upcoming Lunar Lake CPUs are expected to be rated for AI PCs. The new AMD Zen 4 APUs are rated at 39 TOPS, coming up just short, but the brand’s Strix Point Zen 5 APUs are expected to be compatible. Meanwhile, the Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip exceeds the threshold at 45 TOPS." - DigitalTrends (linked above)

My computer's brand new. AI? Not worth it for me to even consider upgrading. MS can keep its UI, and if my machine isn't enough for their new OS, T.S. Eliot: I'll be the outmoded mod.