it feels like i'm still in /g/ with these types of posts

you went on a tirade about "windows bad, linux (aRcH btW!!!) best" without giving us any relevant information to help you with your "issue", other than the fact that you can game on your linux gaming laptop. you should've told that to your family member to at least try and convince them that gaming on linux is acceptable/good, maybe try to educate them about wine/proton and how performance may not be as good and some minor configurations may be needed, but that you could make it work. But nope.

also seriously, i mainly use linux myself, and i know this is a linux community, but we all know that windows "just works". it is also literally just a point and click on a gui even on the installer, it's that easy. reflash/rewrite the iso, or get another iso. that is my guess as to what you're fucking up

Yes, it's bad

If you're on the happy path all is well. The smoothest shit ever. If you turn onto the unhappy path.. oh boy. Helpful logs? Useful community posts from SMEs? Meh no. Best I can do is a plate of irrelevant copy-pasta on a malware-ridden site, SEOd to the top.

Windows 10 LTSC is the way to go if you absolutely have to use Windows, I'd love to use Linux on my gaming rig but Assetto Corsa + my simracing hardware doesn't play nice at all.

Sounds like the problem was between the keyboard and chair.

It's definitely more frustrating. I've had a similar experience trying to help people with their Windows PCs. Thankfully I've managed to convince a few to switch to Linux Mint.

I'm upvoting this because it's hilarious, but on a serious note, installing windows is so easy my granny could do it.

The only thing, and I assume that's where you struggled, is sometimes the formatting of the hd doesn't want to work. In that case, a quick google will help you out, but also just format it quickly with diskpart and continue the installation.

This is basically why I went to linux around the time of Vista. The amount of hurdles windows puts in your way is silly.

However, it's odd for the OS to work and Steam then not to work. I wonder if the windows store protections have been disabled?

Sounds like a skill issue on your behalf.

Windows has it's serious flaws, and I would never willingly go back to it at this point, but the installer is too hard? This sounds like a you-issue rather than a Windows one.

I keep a virtual machine of 10. I don't enjoy using it though.

What were you doing? The windows 11 install is so simple compared to even the windows 7 one. Where you messing with things to bypass the Microsoft login or something?

I would reccommend you to not install W11, but install W10 instead. It's more stable with all sorts of hardware.

Also this could indicate an issue with the drive you're going to install the OS on. Could you run some checks on the disk itself for failed sectors?

ROFL windows is the easiest thing ever to install. Same with steam.

Sounds like either you’re terrible with computers or you have some serious hardware issues.

Blaming it solely on windows is a joke.

This is absolute nonsense. Getting windows up and running is stupid easy.

Linux still is not a main gaming OS yet. Stop being an asshole; you know this is true.