u/h0mn0cu7u5

Installed on two nearly identical 3-year-old 14900K workstations. Dev/ID details embellished...

Hi there.

Fresh Windows 11 loT Enterprise LTSC n00b, here. I've run the same Win 11 Pro install for about 3.5 years on both of my daily driver workstations. Two nearly identical 14900K/Z790 rigs (ApexEncore/DrkHero mbs), which is about the longest I've run a single OS build (or CPU/platform lol) before either changing hardware or otherwise having to reinstall.

I've had that previous Win 11 Pro install locked into 23H2 for almost the whole time; some sneaky/dumb/tripe 24H2 broke tons of stuff one fateful day way back when, so I restored a working 23H3 image (Reflect) and then used GPEDIT to lock the build into 23H2 and never looked back.

With Nov 2026 looming as the (?) end-of-service point for that long-standing install, LTSC had been banging around in my head for a while, and I finally installed it on both machines this past month.

Both systems are running fine. I've used winget to install a few tools I need (PhoneLink/etc.), but otherwise I'm really digging the minimalist app install base and other leaner aspects of the LTSC OS.

QUESTION: Are there any recommended Group Policy changes I should consider? Obviously, I don't need to use the Group Policy feature set trick I used to lock my previous OS install into Win 11 Pro *23H2* ... but are there any other "sneaker" installs that might occur that aren't strictly utility/security-based with the new LTSC system and that might slip in via Windows Update?

Like, is *every* "feature experience pack" necessary? Frankly, hate to admit I don't even know what came along with that particular "feature pack." I'd like to avoid anything other than system necessaries/security/etc. updates. AFAIK, these builds will stay on Win 11 24H2 LTSC until I install something else completely.

I hate system-altering surprises. I use the same tools/apps every day as critical and necessary daily work utilities. Ideally, nothing on my system drive changes. I don't use Win Restore (hate it!) and have used Reflect for decades to run "incrementals forever" on all of my onboard NVME drives which essentially allows me to roll back in time if some odd/rare system breaking quirk occurs.

So thanks in advance if there is anything folks recommend at the group policy level to ensure the OS stays as zero-day as possible. I'm not expecting any surprises/fluff/preview crap, but then again, brand new OS for me.

Otherwise, looking forward to not sweating service cycles until 2035(?) or some such. Shoosh! That alone was worth the two/three days of work kitting the new OS's out.

~h

One of the two square clips on the PortaPro Wireless V2's broke after a year of use. It's something I did for sure, stepped on them, dropped them, etc.

After that, not only was the sound hit or miss (literally), the unsecured side of the headband metal bands would dig quite unforgivingly into my heed.

Anyway, having a look at the band and understanding the basic principle of how the headband works and is central to the bluetooth connectivity and sound, I hacked a working solution using two very tiny zip ties.

The main goal is to keep the layered bands on top of one another, making good contact but also keeping them separate on the horizontal plane as I think it would cause cutouts or distortion if the left/right band-stacks were to touch. So I just tried to emulate what the stock, plastic clips do:

Tiny zip ties don't bother the heed a bit...

It's not the most attractive from up top, but using the smallest zip ties I could find (about 3" in length/super thin), the "nubs" top aren't so bad as to be bothersome.

\"Nubs\" visible at top; not so bad compared to the first, larger zip ties I used...

Main thing is the sound and connectivity came back 100%.

The hack works as long as one doesn't over extend the bands and pull one side out of the two zip ties since they have no built in stop similar to the stock plastic clips which will slide up against the raised notch in the metal band. The zip ties leave just enough room to slide over that metal stop-point so I just set them to the size I know will work for my heed and then make a point not to mess with them.

I didn't search around to see if any other person's have experienced the broken plastic clip thing as I did but if so, thought this might be of use.

I did claim warranty on those via a 3rd party AMZ insurance provider but unfortunately, the new/replacement pair had a constant, bothersome crackling sound when connected via Bluetooth so sent them back. I'm just going to use the hacked one's till I can't...

Best of luck.

~h