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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 589
Journeyman
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OP
Journeyman
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 589 |
Hi colleagues. Maybe this item is discussed already here, but I coundn't find:
Microsoft is annoucing to end the supporting of Windows 10, so one should update to Windows 11.
I tested with the tool of Microsoft, that my PC for music production is not suitable for Windows 11, because of too old processors. There's memory enough, but updating processors is unpractical.
Have you solutions for this?
Should I stick with Windows 10 and work off-line as much as possible?
Should I move to Linux operating system?
Thank you in advance for your ideas.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,108
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 21,108 |
BIAB & RB2026 Win.(Audiophile), Windows 10 Pro & Windows 11, Cakewalk Bandlab, Izotope Prod.Bundle, Roland RD-1000, Synthogy Ivory, Session Keys Grand S & Electric R, Kontakt, Focusrite 18i20, KetronSD2, NS40M, Pioneer Active Monitors.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,668
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,668 |
Windows 10 will not stop just because MS end support, so working mostly offline would be fine.
I use Linux for most things that I do. IMHO it's a faster, better behaved, more stable OS than Windows, with far fewer irriutations, but there are gaps in what one can do.
I've run BIAB in Wine on AVLinux, with a few quirks, but every BIAB upgrade risks having to find the new breakages and fix them. I don't have the patience sometimes just for the BIAB quirks, never mind also the BIAB-on-Linux quirks.
Most of the VSTs I have will or have previously run just fine with wine-staging, but some of the recent product and licence managers have been very tempremental. Maybe if I installed the latest AVLinux, that would resolve, but so far I haven't tried. I would say 2/3 of my VSTs are OK.
My desktop PC dual-boots Linux or Win11 and I use the latter for my CAD and for BIAB and the VSTs; booting to Win is a bit of a nuisance, but tolerable, though the Windows endless reboots for updates are a real PITA.
For music work on Linux I use AVLinux, which still seems to me the best AV-oriented distribution. Reaper, Mixbus, Ardour, BitWig are all available native on Linux and there are lots of VSTs, many not available of Windows. OBS and various video editors are also available.
For a normal everyday PC I usually use the LTS version of Kubuntu, which is a more lightweight and more traditional desktop version of Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a pretty minimal challenges distribution and they offer support if you want it. Linux Mint is popular for ease of use.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,168
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,168 |
Its easy enough to go to windows update and enrol for another year of free support, either with windows backup on, or redeem 1000 points.
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,632
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 22,632 |
I got the additional year without having to do the backup thing, FWIW.
Or points
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,786
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 24,786 |
I got the additional year without having to do the backup thing, FWIW.
Or points Same here
Waitress "How did you find your steak sir"?
Me "I just looked next to the potatoes and there it was"!
64 bit Win 10 Pro, the latest BiaB/RB, Roland Octa-Capture audio interface, a ton of software/hardware
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,507
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 2,507 |
My studio desktop, from about 8 years ago, uses an Intel Kaby Lake i7-7700 processor. I have 32 Gb of RAM and use 1 SSD and have 3 mechanical hard drives. Like many of you, the MS analyzer said I couldn't update to Win 11, even though I had the required TPM 2.0. It appears that my processor wasn't on the list of supported processors. I really hated to give up on this machine that I use for music and being somewhat of a geek I was determined to find one way or another of updating it to WIN 11. Long story short and after many tricks, hacks and endless reverts back from a failed WIN11 install back to WIN 10, there is a way to do this. It involves a bit of registry hacks and seemingly may have to be done a few times to get it to work, but it can be done! Here is the procedure I followed: https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-upgrade-your-incompatible-windows-10-pc-to-windows-11-for-free/I did this upgrade about two months ago and have been using this desktop for about 4-5 hours a day with no glitches and no problems. All installed programs have been confirmed to work fine, all upgrades to WIN 11 from MS are installing correctly, have been confirmed and are working fine. Bottom line...no issues that I can find. One chink in the armor that I wasn't able to get around was MS Office Professional. I was using Office 2016 Professional which is approaching end of life in a month or so. Seems MS is moving to the subscription based Office 365. I'm not a subscription type of guy! There is a way around this too. Using what's called an LTSC license. This is a one time license that's available with an MS authorization code. These licenses are available on-line from many sellers and run about 20-25 dollars. You buy one of these licenses, download the software directly from MS and then enter in the software authorization code. The only downside to this approach is that you get the full authorized MS Office Professional suite with security updates for 5 years, but you don't get any new features that they may offer during those 5 years...and I don't need them. I have now done this approach on 4 different machines. No problems, all programs run correctly. All previous spreadsheets, Outlook emails, PowerPoint presentations, Access databases all work correctly. MS security updates are all downloading and are installing correctly. Just thought I would pass alone these tips. Not saying this is the best approach to renew your older machines but it is a way that might work for you. Be careful and follow all instructions for which ever way you go very carefully. Jeff
Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2026, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
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Help! Tech S.O.S (Off topic)
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Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,668
Veteran
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Veteran
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,668 |
I can't say whether or not that's a good idea, only reiterate my (slightly different) caveat from some time ago: ... and another caution ... My old Win7 was installing updates OK for a long time, then suddenly stopped on a major update at 95% installing and rolling back every few days, with just an obscure error number that barely helped. Eventually, after 18 months, I heard that it was related to that message (possibly paraphrased) "This CPU was designed for a older version of Windows". The whole business was a real PITA. BTW, the reason I had that situation was because I'd done that old trick of moving (a clone of) the hard drive from the old machine onto a new machine, successfully avoiding all the countless hours of re-installations, but paying the time and effort many times over with the above install-rollback cycles. It had been running just find for a couple of years. I'd not say "don't do it", but I would caution that there could be issues in the future and they could be quite obscure.
Jazz relative beginner, starting at a much older age than was helpful.
AVL:MXE Linux; Windows 11
BIAB2026 Audiophile, a bunch of other software.
Kawai MP6, Ui24R, Focusrite Saffire Pro40 and Scarletts
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Ask sales and support questions about Band-in-a-Box using natural language.
ChatPG's knowledge base includes the full Band-in-a-Box User Manual and sales information from the website.
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Band-in-a-Box® 2026 Mac Special Offers Extended Until May 31st!
Good news- we've extended our Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® special offers until May 31, 2026!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 is packed with major new features, enhancements, and an incredible lineup of new content! The program now sports a sleek, modern GUI redesign across the entire interface, including updated toolbars, refreshed windows, smoother workflows, a new dark mode option, and more. The brand-new side toolbar provides quicker access to key windows, while the new Multi-View feature lets you arrange multiple windows as layered panels without overlap, creating a flexible, clutter-free workspace. We have an amazing new “AI-Notes” feature. This transcribes polyphonic audio into MIDI so you can view it in notation or play it back as MIDI. You can transcribe an entire track (all pitched instruments and drums) or focus on individual parts like drums, bass, guitars/piano, or vocals. There's an amazing collection of new content too, including 202 RealTracks, new RealStyles, MIDI SuperTracks, Instrumental Studies, “Songs with Vocals” Artist Performance Sets, Playable RealTracks Set 5, two RealDrums Stems sets, and much more!
There are over 100 new features in Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®.
When you order purchase Band-in-a-Box® 2026 before 11:59 PM PDT on May 31st, you'll also receive a Free Bonus PAK packed with exciting new add-ons.
Check out the Band-in-a-Box® for Mac packages page to find the best package for you.
Holiday Weekend Hours
It's Victoria Day Long Weekend in Canada. Our Customer Service hours are:
Saturday, May 16: Closed
Sunday, May 17: Closed
Monday, May 18: 8:00am - 4:00pm
Regular hours resume Tuesday, May 19th!
Today's the Last Day of the Band-in-a-Box 2026® for Mac Special!
Order before 11:59pm PDT today (May 15, 2026) to save up to 50% off your Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® upgrade and receive a FREE Bonus PAK loaded with great new Add-ons to use with this new version!
Don't wait - order today!
Check out all the new features in the redesigned Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac - Special Offers End at 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th, 2026!
Order before 11:59pm PDT on Friday, May 15th and SAVE up to 50% on most Band-in-a-Box® version 2026 for Mac Upgrade packages... and that's not all! With your version 2026 for Mac purchase, we'll include a Bonus PAK full of great new Add-ons FREE! Upgrade to the 2026 49-PAK to receive even more NEW Add-ons including 20 additional RealTracks... that's 222 NEW RealTracks available with version Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac!
Upgrade to Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac® today for as little as $49! Check out the Band-in-a-Box® packages page for all available purchase options.
Learn more about the Free Bonus PAK and 49-PAK here.
If you have any questions about which package is the best option for you, just let us know. We're here to help!
202 New RealTracks Released with Band-in-a-Box 2026!
With Band-in-a-Box® 2026, we've released 202 incredible new RealTracks (in sets 468-488) in a variety of genres—featuring your most requested styles!
Jazz, Funk & World (Sets 468-475):
Our new jazz, funk & blues RealTracks include a groovin’ collection of RealTracks and RealDrums! These include more requested “soul jazz” RealTracks featuring artists Neil Swainson (bass), Charles Treadway (organ), Brent Mason (guitar), and Wes Little (drums). There are new “smooth jazz” styles (4), which include a RealTracks first: muted trumpet, as well as slick new smooth jazz brushes options for drums. Blues lovers will be thrilled—there are more “classic acoustic blues” styles, including guitar (5), bass (4), and drums (10) with blues master Colin Linden, featuring understated and tasty background acoustic soloing, plus brushes drums and acoustic bass. There are also new electric blues RealTracks, including electric blues with PG favorite Johnny Hiland (3) and soulful electric slide guitar from Colin Linden (4). If you love funk & gospel, there are great new options this year, including gospel organ (3) from Charles Treadway, as well as new funk, tango, and rock ’n’ roll drums (3) and bass (1). And for big, bold arrangements, we have uptempo soul horns (4) featuring a three-part hip horn section with options for a full mix or stems of each individual horn — plus an accompanying rhythm section (4) of drums, bass, guitar, and electric piano!
Rock & Pop (Sets 476–482):
Our new rock & pop RealTracks bring a powerful mix of requested favorites, fresh genres, and modern chart-inspired styles! We have more of our popular “Producer Layered Acoustic Guitars (15)” featuring Band-in-a-Box favorite Brent Mason. We’ve continued our much-requested disco styles (10), and added new Celtic guitar (5) with a more basic, accessible approach than our previous Drop-D or DADGAD offerings. There are also highly requested yacht rock styles (17), inspired by the smooth, polished soft-rock sound of the late ’70s and early ’80s — laid-back grooves, silky electric pianos, warm textures, elegant harmonic movement, and pristine production aesthetics. Fans of heavier styles will love our new glam metal (13), capturing the flashy, high-energy sound of ’80s arena-ready guitar rock. We also have a set of rootsy modern-folk rock (18), with a warm, organic sound combining contemporary folk textures and driving acoustic strumming. And we’ve added lots of new modern pop styles (16) — the kinds of sounds you’re hearing on the radio today, featuring exciting new drums, synths, and cutting-edge RealTracks arrangements.
Country, & Americana (Sets 483–488):
Our new country & Americana RealTracks deliver a rich collection of acoustic, electric, and roots-inspired styles! We have new country pop (9) with legendary guitarist Brent Mason. There is also a potpourri (14) of bouzouki, guitars, banjo, and more, perfect for adding texture and character to contemporary acoustic arrangements. We’ve added funky country guitar (5) with PG favorite Brent Mason, along with classic pedal steel styles (5) featuring steel great Doug Jernigan. There are more country songwriter styles (8) that provide intimate, rootsy foundations for storytelling and modern Americana writing. Finally, we have “background soloing” acoustic guitar (12) with Brent Mason — simpler, but still very tasty acoustic lines designed to sit beautifully behind vocals or act as a subtle standalone solo part.
Check out all the 202 new RealTracks (in sets 468-488)!
And, if you are looking for more, the 2026 49-PAK (for $49) includes an impressive collection of 20 bonus RealTracks, featuring exciting and inspiring additions to add to your RealTracks library. You'll get new country-rhythm guitar styles from PG Music favorites Johnny Hiland and Brent Mason, along with modern-pop grooves that capture today’s radio-ready sound! There are also new indie-folk styles with guitar, bass, 6-string bass used as a high-chording instrument, acoustic guitar, and banjo. Plus, dedicated "cymbal fills" RealDrums provide an added layer that work very well with low-key folky styles with other percussion.
The 2026 49-PAK is loaded with other great new add-ons as well. Learn more about the 2026 49-PAK!
2026 Free Bonus PAK & 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
With your version 2026 for Mac 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)
- iOS Android Band-in-a-Box® App
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)
Learn more about the Bonus PAK and 49-PAK for Band-in-a-Box® 2026 for Mac®!
XPro & Xtra Styles PAK Sets On Sale Now - Until May 15, 2026!
All of our XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAKs are on sale until May 15th, 2026!
It's the perfect time to expand your Band-in-a-Box® style library with XPro and Xtra Styles PAKs. These additional styles for Band-in-a-Box® offer a wide range of genres designed to fit seamlessly into your projects. Each style is professionally arranged and mixed, helping enhance your songs while saving you time.
What are XPro Styles and Xtra Styles PAKs?
XPro Styles PAKs are styles that work with any version (Pro, MegaPAK, UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition) of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). XPro Styles PAKS 1-10 includes 1,000 styles!
Xtra Styles PAKs are styles that work with the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box® 2025 (or higher). Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 includes 3,700 styles (and 35 MIDI styles)!
The XPro & Xtra Styles PAKs are not included in any Band-in-a-Box® package.
The XPro Styles PAKs 1-10 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the XPro Styles PAK Bundle for only $149 (reg. $299)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
The Xtra Styles PAKs 1-21 are available for only $29 ea (reg. $49 ea), or get them all in the Xtra Styles PAK Bundle for only $199 (reg. $349)! Listen to demos and order now! For Mac or for Windows.
Note: 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.
The Xtra Styles require the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition of Band-in-a-Box®. (Xtra Styles PAK 19 requires the 2025 or higher UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition. They will not work with the Pro or MegaPAK version as they require the RealTracks included in the UltraPAK, UltraPAK+, or Audiophile Edition.
Supercharge your Band-in-a-Box today with XPro Styles PAKs and Xtra Styles PAK Sets!
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