+++This+++ is a CNET article on the Windows 11 speculation. It does reference some of the other postings in this thread, but in the end that could be an echo chamber effect. But it does seem like there will be a major update coming, whether it is called Windows 11 or not.
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
Microsoft's tool to check if your PC is compatible with the requirements for Windows 11 is offline.
If you want to check yours, there is an open-source tool I found, here: https://github.com/rcmaehl/WhyNotWin11 Scroll down to download the latest release, then unzip it.
Both my 2014-era PCs failed miserably.
BIAB 2025 Win Audiophile. Software: Studio One 7 Pro, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Presonus 192 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Slate VSX, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
Microsoft's tool to check if your PC is compatible with the requirements for Windows 11 is offline.
If you want to check yours, there is an open-source tool I found, here: https://github.com/rcmaehl/WhyNotWin11 Scroll down to download the latest release, then unzip it.
Both my 2014-era PCs failed miserably.
I tried this one myself. My computer has more red or yellow boxes than green...
Surely they will have to relax the hardware requirements for windows 11, or else there will be a slow take up, as 10 support doesn't end until 2025, I will probably need a new pc before that.
Windows 10 (64bit) M-Audio Fast Track Pro, Band in a Box 2025, Cubase 14, Cakewalk and far too many VST plugins that I probably don't need or will ever use
I ran the utility on both my new HP laptop and my homebuilt desktop (which I've upgraded multiple times over a decade).
My laptop passed in all categories. The desktop failed on a few items, notably the TPM. It has an ASUS motherboard, but it's dated 2012. On the ASUS website, I found the following: "TPM 2.0 was introduced back in 2015, and all ASUS motherboards feature version 2.0."
So my 2012 P8H77-V LE motherboard isn't supported. My I7 CPU isn't listed as compatible and a few other items are flagged as red.
But below is my laptop result:
John
Laptop-HP Omen I7 Win11Pro 32GB 8TB SSD Desktop-ASUS-I7 Win10Pro 32GB 11TB SATA
I had a lot of RED the first time around and now I'm mostly GREEN due to one particular topic that causes all the RED. This was a rabbit hole that took a while to chase down......
I had RED items with Boot Method, Disk Partition Type, & Secure Boot.
So you have to convert your OS disk, typically C:\ from MBR (Master Boot Record) to GPT (GUID Partition Table). When that's done you can switch your BIOS from Legacy to UEFI. Once that's done, you can turn on Secure Boot in your BIOS.
If your computer is too old, BIOS may not even have an option for UEFI. I had the option but it didn't work at first because the OS disk wasn't converted.
Once I hit that link I followed the "How to convert MBR to GPT with MBR2GPT?" part of the page for running in Windows 10. One thing of note when running the command, your C:\ OS drive may not be zero unless it's your only drive. Since I have extra drives on my main PC, my OS drive was actually Disk2 per Disk Management. So I put a 2 in the command where "N" was and it ran fine.
From there, I just had to reboot the PC and press F2 to enter BIOS. I switched from Legacy to UEFI and then turned on Secure Boot and now I have the result below:
I'm not going on a rant about security issues but I'll say that in my tax business per a recent federal law and IRS regs I now have to have a security plan in place, have several levels of online protection and be able to prove it if one of my clients suffers an identity theft issue traceable back to me.
I know many here poo poo all this and that's great, I'm not preaching at anybody, I'll just say online security is getting pretty damn serious and it's really impacting business at many levels from government access to booking a flight.
TPM shouldn't be a surprise to any of you who know more about PC's and software than I do. They've been talking about hardware security and encryption at the CPU level for years now. If some don't care I totally agree, MS will almost certainly extend support for Win 10 beyond 2025 so you're good for many years. However, while I won't be in the very first group to update to 11, I'll probably be right behind them, it is a business expense which helps. Of course my current system being a 7 year old i7 failed, I've had it for 5 years about time to retire it anyway.
Bob, is your type of business covered under some arm of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act? I have always wanted tp punch both of those guys in the face.
I worked a contract for a bank. When computers were retired, the data was moved, the hard drives were wiped with a 3 pass process that wrote 0s on every sector of the hard drive, AND we had to remove them and using a drill press, drill three 1/2" holes through the platters. Have you ever tried to drill through a hard drive platter?
One time in a meeting the powers that be were discussing the process of moving retired PCs from the main business office of the bank to the data center when that process was performed. They were going back and forth about security during transit, and just when the decided that everything was secure, your truly tapped his pen on the table and asked "How well do you know these drivers from the company you hired to moved the PCs? Is it outside the realm of possibility that IF they wanted to do so, they could drive that truck to a garage where 100 guys are waiting with tools and junk hard drives and swapping out the hard drives from the bank's computers. It is highly unlikely, but possible. And for the last 90 minutes you have all been going on and on about hypotheticals. Well, there's my hypothetical."
Crickets.
After they hemmed and hawed for about 3 minutes I stood up, smiled, and said "I think my work here is done." and left the meeting. The same day they changed the process so a bank employee would have to be the one driving the truck. As I whispered to my co-worker "How do they know they can trust HIM? Albert DeSalvo (The Boston Strangler) told a woman he was a detective before he molested and killed her." And he looked at me and said "Oh just shut up, will ya?"
This is one of my favorite tech sites for when I really want to feel stupid. Just watching this makes me want to go throw up in the corner but they seem to be extremely competent with this stuff. I know some of you guys will eat this up so here it is:
It's good that they're going back one more generation of CPU, though that won't help people who have machines older than a 7th gen Intel Core. That said, if you're running something much older than that, it's time to upgrade your computer.
This change basically allows computers from the past 5 years to run Windows 11. For comparison, the latest macOS supports computers from the last 8 years, which goes back to a 4th gen Intel. As Apple has complete control over what components will run on their OS, they can get away with supporting older machines as they know exactly what's in them. Microsoft, on the other hand, has to rely on hundreds if not thousands of companies to write updated drivers to be able to offer support for older hardware. I honestly think it's fairly generous that they support up to 5 years back, as trying to match Apple's 8 years would mean they'd have to try and support every machine that ever shipped with Windows 8, and some that shipped with Windows 7.
Sure you CAN upgrade, Matt. It's just going to cost you. And therein lies the complaint I have had against Micro$oft and Apple. They hold us hostage with their upgrades that require hardware replacement. There comes a point where they create yet another new OS that your hardware can't run. I had an original iPad that couldn't run the OS needed to run the cooler new apps. I hate them for this business model of forced obsolescence.
Band-in-a-Box 2026 Video: AI Stems & Notes - split polyphonic audio into instruments and transcribe
This video demonstrates how to use the new AI-Notes feature together with the AI-Stems splitter, allowing you to select an audio file and have it separated into individual stems while transcribing each one to its own MIDI track. AI-Notes converts polyphonic audio—either full mixes or individual instruments—into MIDI that you can view in notation or play back instantly.
Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®
With your version 2026 for Windows Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, Audiophile Edition or PlusPAK purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons for FREE! Or upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for only $49 to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks!
These PAKs are loaded with additional add-ons to supercharge your Band-in-a-Box®!
This Free Bonus PAK includes:
The 2026 RealCombos Booster PAK:
-For Pro customers, this includes 27 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For MegaPAK customers, this includes 25 new RealTracks and 23 new RealStyles.
-For UltraPAK customers, this includes 12 new RealStyles.
MIDI Styles Set 92: Look Ma! More MIDI 15: Latin Jazz
MIDI SuperTracks Set 46: Piano & Organ
Instrumental Studies Set 24: Groovin' Blues Soloing
Artist Performance Set 19: Songs with Vocals 9
Playable RealTracks Set 5
RealDrums Stems Set 9: Cool Brushes
SynthMaster Sounds Set 1 (with audio demos)
Android Band-in-a-Box® App (included)
Looking for more great add-ons, then upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK for just $49 and you'll get:
20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums with 20 RealStyle.
FLAC Files (lossless audio files) for the 20 Bonus Unreleased RealTracks and RealDrums
MIDI Styles Set 93: Look Ma! More MIDI 16: SynthMaster
MIDI SuperTracks Set 47: More SynthMaster
Instrumental Studies 25 - Soul Jazz Guitar Soloing
Artist Performance Set 20: Songs with Vocals 10
RealDrums Stems Set 10: Groovin' Sticks
SynthMaster Sounds & Styles Set 2 (sounds & styles with audio demos)
Join Tobin as he takes you on a tour of the new user interface in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Windows®! This modern GUI redesign offers a sleek new look with updated toolbars, refreshed windows, and a smoother workflow. The brand-new side toolbar puts track selection, the MultiPicker Library, and other essential tools right at your fingertips. Plus, our upgraded Multi-View lets you layer multiple windows without overlap, giving you a highly flexible workspace. Many windows—including Tracks, Piano Roll, and more—have been redesigned for improved usability and a cleaner, more intuitive interface, and more!
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Windows Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Windows & Mac Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Introducing XPro Styles PAK 10 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
We've just released XPro Styles PAK 10 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) with 100 brand new RealStyles, plus 28 RealTracks and RealDrums!
Few things are certain in life: death, taxes, and a brand spankin’ new XPro Styles PAK! In this, the 10th edition of our XPro Styles PAK series, we’ve got 100 styles coming your way! We have the classic 25 styles each from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, and rounding out this volume's wildcard slot is 25 styles in the Praise & Worship genre! A wide spanning genre, you can find everything from rock, folk, country, and more underneath its umbrella. The included 28 RealTracks and RealDrums can be used with any Band-in-a-Box® 2026 (and higher) package.
Here’s just a small sampling of what you can look forward to in XPro Styles PAK 10: Soft indie folk worship songs, bumpin’ country boogies, gospel praise breaks, hard rockin’ pop, funky disco grooves, smooth Latin jazz pop, bossa nova fusion, western swing, alternative hip-hop, cool country funk, and much more!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the XPro Styles PAKs 1 - 10 are on sale for only $29 ea (Reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Order now!
XPro Styles PAKs require Band-in-a-Box® 2025 or higher and are compatible with ANY package, including the Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, and Audiophile Edition.
Introducing Xtra Styles PAK 21 – Now Available for Mac Band-in-a-Box 2025 and Higher!
Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Mac & Windows Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher) is here with 200 brand new RealStyles!
We're excited to bring you our latest Xtra Styles PAK installment—the all new Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box version 2025 (and higher)!
Rejoice, one and all, for Xtra Styles PAK 21 for Band-in-a-Box® is here! We’re serving up 200 brand spankin’ new styles to delight your musical taste buds! The first three courses are the classics you’ve come to know and love, including offerings from the rock & pop, jazz, and country genres, but, not to be outdone, this year’s fourth course is bro country! A wide ranging genre, you can find everything from hip-hop, uptempo outlaw country, hard hitting rock, funk, and even electronica, all with that familiar bro country flair. The dinner bell has been rung, pickup up Xtra Styles PAK 21 today!
In this PAK you’ll discover: Energetic folk rock, raucous train beats, fast country boogies, acid jazz grooves, laid-back funky jams, a bevy of breezy jazz waltzes, calm electro funk, indie synth pop, industrial synth metal, and more bro country than could possibly fit in the back of a pickup truck!
Special offers until December 31st, 2025!
All the Xtra Styles PAKs 1 - 21 are on special for only $29 each (reg $49), or get all 21 PAKs for $199 (reg $399)! Order now!
Note: The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 21 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version because they need the RealTracks from the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
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