HelgenX Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 As much as I'm okay with my Dev build of W11, I have one or two apps that just aren't compatible with it, and Microsoft has given me no choice but to do a fresh install. Cannot go to a beta build, cannot leave the program, the options to are disabled. I don't understand why they chose this route but people need to know: if you're on a Dev build of Windows 11, you may possibly not be able to ever leave it without a fresh installation. Microsoft should really do something about this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCRX2020 Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 I, too, am plagued by this nonsense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ve7878 Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 It's a dev build, what do you expect them to do about it? You're running a build which is ahead of the others so it makes sense that you have to do a fresh installation. Downgrading Windows has never been a supported path and this is effectively what you're asking for. Perhaps you should run the stable versions of Windows to avoid issues like this. Make sure that you're leaving feedback on the dev builds though when you do come across programs which won't run properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrynalyne Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) On 30/10/2021 at 11:55, HelgenX said: As much as I'm okay with my Dev build of W11, I have one or two apps that just aren't compatible with it, and Microsoft has given me no choice but to do a fresh install. Cannot go to a beta build, cannot leave the program, the options to are disabled. I don't understand why they chose this route but people need to know: if you're on a Dev build of Windows 11, you may possibly not be able to ever leave it without a fresh installation. Microsoft should really do something about this. No they shouldn't. Users should read about what they are getting into so they don't dive into something they do not understand. Let MS concentrate on improving software instead. There is a reason they tell people to NOT run it in a production environment. +Matthew S., goretsky, ZakO and 3 others 3 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xMorpheousx416 Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 14:38, adrynalyne said: No they shouldn't. Users should read about what they are getting into so they don't dive into something they do not understand. Let MS concentrate on improving software instead. There is a reason they tell people to NOT run it in a production environment. This^^^. While the top ring has no specific areas of moving forward in a single line, that's what you have agreed to signing up for it. If you're not ready to say, "I do" perhaps you should stay with "I don't". :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Thom Vee Subscriber² Posted October 30, 2021 Subscriber² Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 11:55, HelgenX said: As much as I'm okay with my Dev build of W11, I have one or two apps that just aren't compatible with it, and Microsoft has given me no choice but to do a fresh install. Cannot go to a beta build, cannot leave the program, the options to are disabled. I don't understand why they chose this route but people need to know: if you're on a Dev build of Windows 11, you may possibly not be able to ever leave it without a fresh installation. Microsoft should really do something about this. You obviously didn't know what you were getting into when you chose to do this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+mram Subscriber² Posted October 30, 2021 Subscriber² Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 11:55, HelgenX said: As much as I'm okay with my Dev build of W11, I have one or two apps that just aren't compatible with it, and Microsoft has given me no choice but to do a fresh install. Cannot go to a beta build, cannot leave the program, the options to are disabled. I don't understand why they chose this route but people need to know: if you're on a Dev build of Windows 11, you may possibly not be able to ever leave it without a fresh installation. Microsoft should really do something about this. I don't want to sound like I'm not sympathetic but I distinctly remember in verbiage that may or may not be clear, that the only way to get out of dev builds is to do the fresh installs. Beta builds or Dev builds are precisely that. Do not expect support. The only thing Microsoft should do is perhaps make it more explicitly clear. However on some level, you agreed to no support, so you opted into that. Most dev users don't develop on systems where this is ever remotely a problem anyway. Virtualization is easy. I'll say this for the masses: If you put dev builds on a production desktop you must accept full and total risks. It might work great, and it might make you reinstall. YMMV and it's not supported. Here's some hope to switch channels, but you kind of have to look/wait for build convergence for this to work: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-insider/flighting#switching-from-the-dev-channel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+devHead Subscriber² Posted October 30, 2021 Subscriber² Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 11:55, HelgenX said: As much as I'm okay with my Dev build of W11, I have one or two apps that just aren't compatible with it, and Microsoft has given me no choice but to do a fresh install. Cannot go to a beta build, cannot leave the program, the options to are disabled. I don't understand why they chose this route but people need to know: if you're on a Dev build of Windows 11, you may possibly not be able to ever leave it without a fresh installation. Microsoft should really do something about this. Microsoft does "do something about this." They tell you out of the gate that when you're testing their development builds, you should not be doing it on your daily production machine. I know, you're going to say that so many people ignore that and run it anyway, but that doesn't change the fact that you aren't really supposed to be. So, what exactly are they supposed to change? And full disclosure here; while I did not dev or beta test Windows 11, I was on the Insiders group for Windows 10 up until maybe a year ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tantawi Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 (edited) There is one more way to get out of dev builds other than a clean install, to wait until it syncs up with a beta/production build (read: when the next version of Windows 11 is ready), then switch over to your next preferred channel during a specific window until Dev branch leaps ahead again. George P 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted October 30, 2021 Administrators Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 20:55, HelgenX said: As much as I'm okay with my Dev build of W11, I have one or two apps that just aren't compatible with it, and Microsoft has given me no choice but to do a fresh install. Cannot go to a beta build, cannot leave the program, the options to are disabled. I don't understand why they chose this route but people need to know: if you're on a Dev build of Windows 11, you may possibly not be able to ever leave it without a fresh installation. Microsoft should really do something about this. Is there no option to go back to the previous version of Windows in the recovery settings? Usually the previous version of Windows is kept. But yeah like others have said, what were you thinking by placing your main PC in the Dev Channel? And if you did that why the hell did you not think to create restore points. It is not a decision I would take lightly anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Matthew S. Subscriber² Posted October 30, 2021 Subscriber² Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 17:31, Steven P. said: Is there no option to go back to the previous version of Windows in the recovery settings? Usually the previous version of Windows is kept. But yeah like others have said, what were you thinking by placing your main PC in the Dev Channel? And if you did that why the hell did you not think to create restore points. It is not a decision I would take lightly anyway. He probably did a disc cleanup which removes the windows.old 😛 Also the only time you can really get out of any of the dev or beta channels is when the builds align. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven P. Administrators Posted October 30, 2021 Administrators Share Posted October 30, 2021 On 31/10/2021 at 00:07, Matthew S. said: He probably did a disc cleanup which removes the windows.old 😛 Also the only time you can really get out of any of the dev or beta channels is when the builds align. Yeah but Microsoft were going to force rollback unsupported machines from Windows 11 (Beta channel) back to Windows 10, so this is why I am wondering if there is a rollback path. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeusProto Posted October 30, 2021 Share Posted October 30, 2021 Yeah, it seems dumb to disable the ability to in-place downgrade or upgrade at will. I could see a disclaimer when trying to use it like, "This method is unsupported and may break your installation of Windows." but someone on the Dev build is prepared for things to break. It should be up to them whether or not to risk doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HelgenX Posted November 6, 2021 Author Share Posted November 6, 2021 (edited) On 30/10/2021 at 18:07, Matthew S. said: He probably did a disc cleanup which removes the windows.old 😛 Also the only time you can really get out of any of the dev or beta channels is when the builds align. No, I didn't, but I was away for a few days, missing the mark of when to "go back." I've tried tons of other builds of Windows before and was able to "go back" with no issues, till now. I did get the messages saying there's a certain amount of time to switch, but I couldn't do anything at the time. That's okay, but to have to do a fresh install is disheartening. It would be the first time I've had to do one while using a dev build. But, I've found out that in newer versions, there may be times when I can opt to go back to a beta > stable build, so I'll just have to wait. I have of course backed up my system, it's just annoying how they're going about it. There's tone of other people complaining about this too, I'm not the only one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrynalyne Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 (edited) On 30/10/2021 at 16:21, DeusProto said: Yeah, it seems dumb to disable the ability to in-place downgrade or upgrade at will. I could see a disclaimer when trying to use it like, "This method is unsupported and may break your installation of Windows." but someone on the Dev build is prepared for things to break. It should be up to them whether or not to risk doing it. Ever used an old system restore point from weeks past, after you have made massive amounts of changes? It usually fails. Rolling back is a glorified system restore point. It’s not like this is a new thing, it’s been like this for many years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adrynalyne Posted November 6, 2021 Share Posted November 6, 2021 On 06/11/2021 at 11:34, HelgenX said: No, I didn't, but I was away for a few days, missing the mark of when to "go back." I've tried tons of other builds of Windows before and was able to "go back" with no issues, till now. I did get the messages saying there's a certain amount of time to switch, but I couldn't do anything at the time. That's okay, but to have to do a fresh install is disheartening. It would be the first time I've had to do one while using a dev build. But, I've found out that in newer versions, there may be times when I can opt to go back to a beta > stable build, so I'll just have to wait. I have of course backed up my system, it's just annoying how they're going about it. There's tone of other people complaining about this too, I'm not the only one. Those people complaining about it should have paid attention over the years. It’s been like this for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George P Global Moderator Posted November 6, 2021 Global Moderator Share Posted November 6, 2021 On 30/10/2021 at 23:35, Tantawi said: There is one more way to get out of dev builds other than a clean install, to wait until it syncs up with a beta/production build (read: when the next version of Windows 11 is ready), then switch over to your next preferred channel during a specific window until Dev branch leaps ahead again. I'm glad you pointed this out, this has been the case for years now with Windows 10 and will probably be the same with 11 but the time table is going to be a good bit different. Now that 11 is back to one major update per year instead of 2, you only get one chance to switch. At this point I don't see dev and beta/release preview syncing up for quite some time. Tantawi 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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