u/Expert_Breadfruit531

Long story short: I’m at a crossroads between fully switching to Linux or giving Windows 11 one final clean attempt on my brand new custom rig.

I’ve been using Windows for years and on my old PC I eventually got it running *really* well after removing Edge, stripping out a ton of bloatware/background junk, disabling telemetry, stopping forced updates, and basically “freezing” the OS so Microsoft couldn’t constantly mess with it. Once I did that, the system was actually stable and smooth.

Now I built a brand new PC and Windows 11 completely screwed me during setup. PIN lock issues, recovery issues, motherboard driver/network issues because there’s no onboard Wi-Fi, etc. At this point I’d probably have to wipe everything and start from scratch with a fresh install.

If I decide to stay on Windows instead of moving to Linux, I want to do it *properly* from day one.

So I’m asking the community:

If you were building a fresh Windows 11 system from absolute scratch in 2026 and wanted:

•minimal bloat
•maximum performance
•gaming/streaming stability
•privacy
•no forced Microsoft garbage
•no Microsoft Edge
•no random background processes
•minimal telemetry
•controlled updates only
•long-term stability

…what would your process be?

Things I’m looking for advice on:

•Best Windows 11 version/build to start with
Offline install vs Microsoft account bypass
•Best debloat tools/scripts that are actually safe
•Services/tasks worth disabling
•How to properly stop forced updates without breaking security
•Driver install order on a new motherboard
•Best privacy tweaks
•What NOT to touch
•Whether custom ISOs like AtlasOS/ReviOS/Ghost Spectre are worth it or a bad idea
•Backup/imaging strategies before tweaking
•Gaming/OBS optimization tips

Main uses:

Steam gaming
OBS streaming/recording
Editing/content creation
General daily use

I’m comfortable researching and learning advanced stuff. I just want a clean, controlled Windows install that doesn’t slowly turn into Microsoft fighting me for ownership of my own PC again.

What would your ideal “Windows 11 from scratch” setup process look like today?

I’ve been a long-term Windows user and honestly I’ve been fighting with Windows 11 for a while now on my old PC. Over time I stripped out a ton of the bloatware, removed Edge, disabled a bunch of background junk, and basically “froze” Windows so it would stop forcing updates and changing things on me. After that, the system actually ran solid.

Recently I built a brand new custom rig. Some parts are refurbished/transferred over from my old PC, but most of it is new. Now I’m dealing with a complete mess because Windows 11 decided to PIN lock me, and since the new motherboard doesn’t have onboard Wi-Fi, setup/recovery has been a nightmare.

At this point it looks like I’d have to do a completely fresh Windows 11 install and then spend months debloating, tweaking, disabling telemetry, removing forced Microsoft stuff, and rebuilding everything the way I want it again. I genuinely don’t feel like doing that another time.

So honestly… I’m thinking this might finally be the moment I pivot to Linux.

My logic is: instead of installing another bloated OS only to spend months modifying it into something usable, maybe it makes more sense to start from the ground up with Linux and build my system the way I actually want from day one.

Main use cases would be:
• Steam gaming
• OBS streaming/recording
• General productivity
• Performance-focused setup
• More control over my own system

I know there’ll be a learning curve, and I’m fully willing to research and learn. I’m not expecting it to be plug-and-play perfection. I just want an OS that feels like my computer again instead of constantly fighting me.

For people who made the switch from heavily tweaked Windows → Linux:
Was it worth it?
Any regrets?
Best distro for gaming/streaming nowadays?
Anything I should know before fully committing?