Ads in the start menu???? FFFFFuuuuuuuuuuuuu......  I knew this would happen eventually. Sure, there's an option to turn it off - FOR NOW. That will go away in an update, and it will become extortion; either accept ads, or pay them money every month. Then they can increase that amount whenever they want.
 
I pay for Amazon Prime, which included Amazon Prime Video for years. A couple of months ago Amazon changed it and demanded a $3 monthly 'subscription fee' or else all videos get ads inserted at multiple intervals. I can bet that $3/month will increase soon enough. Apparently about 85% of Amazon Prime members are now paying this extortion fee. I'm not one of them. Microsoft are doing the exact same thing with Windows now they see how well it worked with Amazon Prime. Netflix also has an ad-supported tier now. Only a matter of time until games start inserting ads too.
 
$3/month is not a big deal on its own at all, but when you have multiple services and they ALL start doing this, it begins to add up to a significant amount cumulatively.
 
I despise ads. Ads is one of the major reasons we cut the cable TV - and it's overpriced. We never watched anything on cable TV because the ads became so prolific to the point where at times there were more ads than there was program. You could flick through a dozen or more channels and find ads playing on every single channel at the same time. Insane. It's been months now, and our daughter still hasn't noticed we cut off the cable TV lol.
 
I find this news of Windows introducing ads to the start menu very disturbing, but not at all surprising.
 

I'm no fan of ads, that's for sure. The big difference between Prime Video and Netflix etc, is you have to stream the service to get it. So you're at their mercy. But up to this point, Windows is software you purchase a license for. So as long as you have it installed on "your" computer, you can use tools like the registry editor (if comfortable) and others to disable things you don't want.
 
Maybe when MS starts renting you Windows on a monthly basis and you access it in the cloud, then you may not have a choice or will have to pay the extortion fee like Amazon charges for Prime.  That's my take on things from what I see at this point.

Windows 11 Pro 23H2 (22631.3593)  
Windows 10 Pro 22H2 (19045.4412)  

No issue's with the latest Windows 11 23H2 update ->  https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/microsoft/windows-11-kb5037771-update-released-with-30-fixes-changes/
 

Windows 11 23H2 update installed no issue, updated nvidia driver in safe mode after using DDU. Exited safe mode and was greeted to the wonderful blue screen of death. no luck fixing. i said screw it performed clean install. windows activated through digital license. reinstalled games went to launch games to find out the new user files were damaged. unable to save games. i could not figure out, so fresh install again wiped drive completely. Now Windows is telling me i have installed new hardware and my product key is no longer valid. ( no hardware changes in almost 3 years) contact Microsoft and they are saying i need a new product key. Completely at a loss.  

tattude69
Windows 11 23H2 update installed no issue, updated nvidia driver in safe mode after using DDU. Exited safe mode and was greeted to the wonderful blue screen of death. no luck fixing. i said screw it performed clean install. windows activated through digital license. reinstalled games went to launch games to find out the new user files were damaged. unable to save games. i could not figure out, so fresh install again wiped drive completely. Now Windows is telling me i have installed new hardware and my product key is no longer valid. ( no hardware changes in almost 3 years) contact Microsoft and they are saying i need a new product key. Completely at a loss.  

Did you ask MS why you needed a new product key? If your system had a valid key prior to your updating, and your system is Windows 11 ready without any workaround, they should be able to give you good reason why they claim you need to new key. After that I'd be doing lots of complaining.  If MS says they see new hardware in your system (shouldn't matter with a retail license), you simply say you had to replace the part.

I am still waiting for a callback from supervisor. It was not a retail product key. It was OEM according to MS. The update did something they just don't care. I have tried a new OEM product key and it still refuses to activate. I had to take a break i think if i use Command Prompt to enter the new key it should activate. I see tons of Errors from windows Hello since the update. This takes me back to Vista Days when things like Norton would render retail product keys useless. Guess i am just getting old. Just really pisses me off My computer had been rock solid. I will have to say at least its only a gaming rig. With some work i should be able to get it all sorted.

 
I think OEM keys are locked to specific motherboards. When that copy of Windows was first activated, it reports its serial number and information from the motherboard's BIOS (or UEFI for more recent motherboards) to Microsoft. If you buy a digital license via MS, they seem to have no issue transferring it. Hopefully they will cave though. Good luck.

bdary
I'm no fan of ads, that's for sure. The big difference between Prime Video and Netflix etc, is you have to stream the service to get it. So you're at their mercy. But up to this point, Windows is software you purchase a license for. So as long as you have it installed on "your" computer, you can use tools like the registry editor (if comfortable) and others to disable things you don't want.
 
Maybe when MS starts renting you Windows on a monthly basis and you access it in the cloud, then you may not have a choice or will have to pay the extortion fee like Amazon charges for Prime.  That's my take on things from what I see at this point.

And that's it right there - they already call it "Windows as a service". Guarantee that Windows will become subscription based, just like MS Office has. Only a matter of time. Putting ads on and forcing you to pay to remove them (effectively ransomware) is the first step.

tattude69
I am still waiting for a callback from supervisor. It was not a retail product key. It was OEM according to MS. The update did something they just don't care. I have tried a new OEM product key and it still refuses to activate. I had to take a break i think if i use Command Prompt to enter the new key it should activate. I see tons of Errors from windows Hello since the update. This takes me back to Vista Days when things like Norton would render retail product keys useless. Guess i am just getting old. Just really pisses me off My computer had been rock solid. I will have to say at least its only a gaming rig. With some work i should be able to get it all sorted.

Where did you get the new OEM key you tried using? It's possible it's already tied/registered to another MB or system.
 
Just an FYI, buying a digital retail license is a good investment if you like to build your own rigs now & then. Buy the Pro version and you can move it to any PC you build for yourself and you can upgrade to whatever version of Windows MS comes out with for free. Always subject to change of course based on the whims of MS, but as an example, if you bought a retail license of Windows 7 Pro or non Pro, you could have got any version of Windows (of the same Pro or non) after that free and to use with every build you do for yourself.