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Hi everyone,
one month ago I bought an S1 with an Intel N97 processor, 16 GB RAM and a 512 GB SSD. I'm a bit "desperate" with this product because it's making me waste a lot of time with these problems that I hope you can help me with:
1. In the meantime, I ask for confirmation that such a recent product does not suffer from the virus problem that came out at the beginning of 2024, is that the case? Is there a way to check that the product serial number is not in the production batches with problems?
2. For personal reasons I chose to downgrade from Windows 11 to Windows 10, I downloaded the software from the original Microsoft site and the operating system is regularly activated via the existing license, however I encounter many problems with connections and I believe (I hope) that it depends on the drivers. It seems strange to me that Windows 10 cannot install the necessary drivers but it seems like this, in practice:
2a. I have no Wi-Fi connection (as if the Wi-Fi card did not exist, it cannot even be turned on, it is not seen)
2b. I have no Bluetooth connection (the Bluetooth card is detected but does not pair)
2c. I connected a sound bar via the audio jack, it works but sometimes not and just connecting without audio running generates a buzz on the sound bar.
2d. At the moment I have not re-installed the software that manages the display. The absurd thing is that only the ACEMAGIC writing appears vertically on the display (since the mini PC is placed vertically) and it does not seem to me that it can be turned off. What do I need it for since the mini PC is inside a closed cabinet when not in use? How can I turn off the display? The only way I have found is to unplug the power...

I ask if anyone has found themselves in the same situation and how they solved it. Also now I have doubts about the drivers of everything... Graphics card, USB ports, etc. In short, I would like, in addition to obviously making what needs to work, to bring the functioning of the individual components to the maximum...

Where can I find all the correct drivers for Windows 10? Also, is it possible that there is not a list of all the components of the mini PC with brands and models to download the updated drivers from the respective manufacturers' sites?

For now I am definitely disappointed with the product.
Thank you.

Thank you for contacting us, we are happy to provide support. As we currently have little information, please provide your purchase order number. Send it to barry@minipcunion.com. We look forward to sharing more details with you via email.

The "virus" issue affected relatively few units over a short period of time. Also, it was malware, not a virus, and it was dormant. It would be detected, and was able to be expunged, with Windows Defender.

The problems you're having are related to the fact that the system wasn't designed for Windows 10. Hopefully barry will be able to help, or have some suggestions for you.

As Gabe mentioned, the S1 is built for Windows 11, not Win 10. In fact, Microsoft stopped offering Windows 10 almost two years ago (January 2023), so this shouldn't be a surprise. Windows 10 goes EOSL in less than a year.

I'm curious, marco, why did you roll back to Windows 10? You sited "personal reasons," but can you explain? I still prefer Windows 10. I've downgraded a few Win11 computers to Win10, and find things work decently enough, but there's plenty of driver issues with newer hardware. Some things are simply not supported on Windows 10, and this won't change. However, you could still try forcing the install of drivers if you can find them. It's a very manual process, and functionality isn't guaranteed. I had to go into the Windows Device Manager, find the device ID for each device, and manually select the driver (or choose the closest one I could find). I still have a few drivers that are not functioning, but for my purposes, it's enough.

About the display and lights on the system, the only option I've encountered is to physically unplug the hardware from the motherboard.

barry777 wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 11:42 am Thank you for contacting us, we are happy to provide support. As we currently have little information, please provide your purchase order number. Send it to barry@minipcunion.com. We look forward to sharing more details with you via email.

Ok, I write by mail, thanks.

Gabe wrote: ↑Mon Nov 25, 2024 4:47 pm The "virus" issue affected relatively few units over a short period of time. Also, it was malware, not a virus, and it was dormant. It would be detected, and was able to be expunged, with Windows Defender.

The problems you're having are related to the fact that the system wasn't designed for Windows 10. Hopefully barry will be able to help, or have some suggestions for you.

Ok.

dragonpoo wrote: ↑Wed Nov 27, 2024 7:33 pm As Gabe mentioned, the S1 is built for Windows 11, not Win 10. In fact, Microsoft stopped offering Windows 10 almost two years ago (January 2023), so this shouldn't be a surprise. Windows 10 goes EOSL in less than a year.

I'm curious, marco, why did you roll back to Windows 10? You sited "personal reasons," but can you explain? I still prefer Windows 10. I've downgraded a few Win11 computers to Win10, and find things work decently enough, but there's plenty of driver issues with newer hardware. Some things are simply not supported on Windows 10, and this won't change. However, you could still try forcing the install of drivers if you can find them. It's a very manual process, and functionality isn't guaranteed. I had to go into the Windows Device Manager, find the device ID for each device, and manually select the driver (or choose the closest one I could find). I still have a few drivers that are not functioning, but for my purposes, it's enough.

About the display and lights on the system, the only option I've encountered is to physically unplug the hardware from the motherboard.

I went back to W10 because I have all the various PCs with this operating system set up in the same way and I didn't want to have just one machine with W11 which I don't like graphically and I don't find it motivated (in the end it's a W10 with a few more or less modifications).

In any case, I would be surprised if the drivers weren't there for W10, it's one of the most widespread operating systems in the world and still supported by Microsoft, on the other hand I imagine the hardware components of the S1 were put on the market by their respective manufacturers some time ago, W10 cannot be ignored by them.

mmaarrccoo,

I'm not sure about the other components, but the class of N series CPUs that the N95, N97 and N100 belong to were specifically designed with Windows 11 in mind. Actually, if you look on Microsoft's Windows/CPU support page, Windows 10 doesn't list these CPUs as supported. Older N CPUs are, like the N5105 and N5095, but not these. That doesn't necessarily mean they won't work with it, but only that they're not "officially" supported. I'm wondering if the S1, being that it was a completely new model design rather than new iteration of an old one, was designed from the start with only Windows 11 in mind. That's not to say that it doesn't use many components that DO support Windows 10, like the RAM and storage, but I just mean as a board design.

Having said that, if you haven't already tried it, see if Driver Booster might show some Windows 10 compatible drivers for the components you're having issues with. It's the only driver program I've ever seen barry recommend. The free version is fine.

Another option, though it doesn't solve all of the difference between Windows 10 and 11 problems, is making Windows 11 look more like Windows 10, with things like adjusting the taskbar, altering the desktop right click menu (I HATE the new menu) and using some kind of free program to make the Start Menu look like it did with Windows 10. Also, keep in mind that Windows 10 support will end in October of next year, so it may not be so bad to get used to using Windows 11 before that happens.

Just some thoughts.