The bells are ringing for Windows 10, and many users who have waited are now choosing to update to Windows 11. If you’re one of them, congratulations on continued security updates and new features, but also on an operating system that has received a lot of criticism since its launch in 2021 — sometimes justified, but often exaggerated. Because when you look beyond the glassy surface with its rounded corners and the Start menu in its strict position, the differences are not that insanely big actually. It’s not like switching to Mac or Linux, not by a long shot. In many cases, these are fairly small changes that you can quickly get used to. In many cases, it’s even possible to restore or mimic old behavior, and new additions you don’t need can often be turned off or hidden. We recommend: Windows 11 Pro Relax and enjoy the ride and everything will be easier, right? Microsoft has become a bit more like Apple in one area in recent years. Where the company used to make an effort to step aside and let users choose how they want to use their computer, it now prefers you to do certain things in a certain way. Foundry The most obvious example is that you’re almost forced to sign in with a Microsoft account instead of a traditional local account. For example, it is not normally possible to choose a local account when installing the system. This can be circumvented fairly easily, but Microsoft keeps harping on about all the benefits of its account. In a way, the company is right. With a Microsoft account, for example, you don’t have to worry about registering Windows because the license key is linked to the account and it’s easy to reactivate if you make changes to the hardware. I find this very useful as I sometimes boot my Windows installation directly and sometimes in a virtual machine — even though the hardware is completely different, the system has no problem with activation. Windows 11 Home can encrypt the local storage with Device Encryption, but it requires a Microsoft account to store a copy of the recovery key — so if you want to use a local account you need a Pro license to encrypt the disk. Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life Other benefits include synchronization of settings and applications installed from the Microsoft Store between computers and automatic authentication for all other Microsoft services and applications. If you have a Microsoft 365 subscription for Office, it will be much easier if you are logged into Windows with the same Microsoft account. But if you don’t subscribe to Microsoft 365, don’t use OneDrive, have no need for disk encryption, and rarely or never change hardware, there’s no practical gain from a Microsoft account. If you prefer, you can then opt for local account anyway, even with Windows 11 Home. Create local account with Rufus Rufus The easiest way to do this when reinstalling the system and not updating from an older version is by creating an installation media with the Rufus program. Download an .iso file of Windows 11 from Microsoft and select it in Rufus. Select a connected USB stick of at least 16 gigabytes that has nothing important on it (all current files will be deleted) and click Start. In the dialog box that pops up, tick Remove requirement for an online Microsoft account. You can also tick Create a local account with username and fill in the account name you want, so you don’t have to do it during installation. The Start menu Microsoft The most visible difference in Windows 11 from its predecessor is that the Start menu and program icons have been centered in the Taskbar instead of being on the far left as in all previous versions. But it’s a quick thing to change if you prefer to have it the way it used to be (go to Settings > Customization > Start and change to left-aligned). The big difference lies in the content of the menu. As soon as you click on the Start icon, it is obvious that it is not the old familiar Start menu. There is no list of installed programs, but instead a number of preselected “favorites” are listed in a grid under the heading Pinned. Below these is an area called Recommended, where you can find recently opened and added programs, files, and more. Further reading: Windows 10 support ends soon. Here’s how to upgrade to Windows 11 You can switch off all these recommendations, but the section will still be there. Microsoft hasn’t made it easy, but at the time of writing there is a method that works in the latest version. It requires three additions to the registry. You can save the below code in a plain text file with a .reg extension and import into the Registry Editor. Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftPolicyManagercurrentdeviceStart] `HideRecommendedSection`=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftPolicyManagercurrentdeviceEducation] `IsEducationEnvironment`=dword:00000001 [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREPoliciesMicrosoftWindowsExplorer] `HideRecommendedSection`=dword:00000001 After a reboot, the pinned items area fills the entire center section of the menu. Foundry With a trick, you can get rid of Recommendations and get a cleaner Start menu. What you can’t do anything about, however, is that the Start menu doesn’t show a list of all installed programs. You can still access such a list by clicking All in the top right, but there doesn’t seem to be any hidden setting to make it open that list automatically. In the narrow strip at the bottom you will see the on/off button and an icon for your account, but you can also add other shortcuts in Settings > Customization > Start > Folders. The Taskbar Aside from the default placement in the center, the big change in the Taskbar is that programs group all their windows behind one icon instead of one icon per window. But just like the placement, you can easily restore the old behavior. You can find the different settings in Settings > Customization > Taskbar (or Taskbar Behaviors). The Explorer Foundry In Windows 11, Microsoft has given Explorer an updated interface with a modern, airier design. If you have a small screen, it can be distracting to have fewer icons. You can change that by choosing View > Show > Compact view. The menu tab area that existed before has been replaced by a narrow toolbar with only a few common functions. Other functions can be accessed via the context menu — click on Show more options to display the old context menu with all options. You won’t miss the fact that functions like copy and paste have become icons. A big improvement is that the program now has built-in tab support, so you can have multiple folders open without having multiple separate windows. Ctrl+T opens a new tab just like in browsers, and you can drag and drop a tab from the tab bar at the top to detach it into its own window. Tab layouts and tab groups Foundry Hover over the maximize button at the top right of an application window and you’ll soon see a small menu of options to quickly adjust the size of the window to take up, say, half or a third of the screen. These are called tick layouts, and if you fill the screen with two or more programs using the feature, they are automatically lumped together in something called a tick group. You can quickly view such a group of programs either by hovering over one of the included programs in the Taskbar and selecting the group there, or by clicking on the new Task View button to the right of the search button and selecting there. Foundry Unfortunately, pinned groups do not save after a restart and if you switch off one of the included programs, the group disappears. A quicker way to pin a window to one half of the screen is to grab it and hold it against the edge of the screen on the side you want it. If you already have an application taking up, say, a third of the screen, the next window will be two-thirds instead of half. Widgets and Copilot Foundry On the far left of the Taskbar (if you have the Start Menu centered — otherwise on the far right before the System Tray) is a new icon which normally shows the current weather in your location. It may also show news headlines of various kinds. Hover over or click it to reveal Windows 11’s new widget feature. To be honest, it sucks, so it’s a good thing Microsoft has made it easy to switch it off. Go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar and turn off Widgets. Another new feature that is now also included in the latest version of Windows 10 but has been included for longer in Windows 11 is Copilot, which in a way replaces the old voice assistant Cortana. Microsoft The Copilot icon is located in the Taskbar next to the Task View icon (which shows all open windows and virtual desktops), and opens a spartan web-based interface that looks exactly like copilot.microsoft.com. The company has been criticized for not developing a proper Windows application but settling for a web view. But Copilot is one of the more competent free AI chatbots, so you can still use it to brainstorm ideas, proofread texts, and more. If you have a subscription to Copilot Pro, you can log in to access the more advanced features, but otherwise you can skip it. Unlike in Word and Excel, for example, the system doesn’t automatically log you in with the same account you log in with in Windows, but that account should show up as a preset when you try to log in. Updated classics If you come to Windows 11 today and not right after the launch, you will notice a change that has come with updates to the system. Microsoft has gone to great lengths to update some of the oldest but still most used programs in Windows: Paint and Notepad. In addition to an updated, modern interface, both programs have been enriched with AI features. It’s not that the Copilot chatbot itself has been baked in, but specific features for each program. Microsoft In Paint, you can use a new tool to remove distracting objects or blur the background of images. Users with a Copilot Plus computer can also use generative fill to add new objects to images. Notes have been given more features for rewriting text. For example, you can ask Copilot to rewrite in a formal tone or in the form of a poem. The AI can also expand or shorten text. Soon, a function for writing summaries of texts will also be added. Microsoft Other examples of applications you might not recognize are Clock — which has a new design and new features — and the brand new Media Player application, which replaces the old Windows Media Player. Key settings and where to find them Joel Lee / Foundry Microsoft has redesigned the Settings application in Windows 11. Not only have many more settings that were previously in Control Center moved into the modern application, but it also has a new interface that makes it easier to browse settings. In Windows 10, Settings had a separate list of different settings on the left for each category, and to go to a different category, you had to first go to the home screen and then click into that category. In Windows 11, the left-hand column is instead filled with a list of categories, and a menu of different kinds of settings under each category appears on the right. Click on one of these to open the settings included in that sub-category. For example, Bluetooth & devices > Devices where you will find related settings. Some more advanced settings may be hidden in another level of submenus and others behind expandable groups. For example, in Display, the Color Profile and HDR settings are in submenus, while the Multiple monitors settings are expandable. The search function in Settings is really good and if you’re looking for a particular setting and can’t remember exactly where it is, it’s often the quickest way to find it. Read...

Windows 10 has been one of the best and most stable versions of the operating system from Microsoft, and it is no wonder that many users have waited to update to the new Windows 11. Despite its release in 2021, there are still significantly more people running Windows 10. But now the clock is ticking for the system. In October 2025, the very last regular update of the system will come. After that, Microsoft will only make security updates available to customers who pay extra for the Extended Security Update (ESU) program or use Microsoft Backup or 1000 Microsoft Reward Points to gain ESU access. PROMOTIONSeamless Windows 11 Upgrade with EaseUS Upgrading to Windows 11? Simplify the transition with EaseUS Todo PCTrans. This powerful tool migrates your apps, files, and settings seamlessly from Windows 10 to Windows 11, backing up everything while eliminating tedious manual transfers. The slick interface ensures a smooth upgrade, saving time and avoiding data loss – ideal for users seeking a hassle-free move before Windows 10 support ends. Use code PCWORLD for 25% off. FREE DownloadBuy Now and Save 25% Are you one of the many people who have reluctantly realized that it’s time to update? You’re not alone, but I can also tell you that it’s not nearly as bad as you might think. Windows 11 is mostly the same, and while Microsoft has made some questionable changes, it’s not a repeat of the disaster that was Windows 8. Join me as I walk you through how to safely update and get started with Windows 11. Further reading: I’m sticking with Windows 10 even after it dies. Here’s how Check that your computer is up to scratch Before you can install Windows 11, you can check that your computer actually meets the system requirements. An easy way to do this is to install all available updates in Windows 10. The Windows Update section in Settings will then offer you to upgrade to Windows 11 as long as your computer meets the requirements. Foundry You can also install the PC Health Check program. If your computer does not meet the system requirements, the program will show you what is missing and you can then see if it’s something you can fix without having to get a new computer to run Windows 11. It can be as simple as the TPM module in the processor not being enabled in the BIOS settings. The minimum requirements are a 64-bit processor of at least 1GHz, 4 GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI with support for Secure Boot (though it doesn’t have to be enabled), TPM 2.0, a screen with at least 720p resolution, and an internet connection. Since Microsoft released version 24H2 of the system, slightly higher requirements are placed on the processor. For Intel, it requires the eighth-generation Core or later, or the equivalent of Celeron/Atom/Xeon. For AMD, at least second-generation Ryzen or third-generation Threadripper, or the equivalent of Epyc, is required. Also a bunch of Zen-based Athlon chipsets are supported. Back up so you can roll back if disaster strikes Jan Van Bizar Before you start upgrading to the newer system, it’s a good idea to make a full backup of the current system, a so-called clone backup. This makes it much easier to roll back to Windows 10 if something goes wrong during the installation (or if you simply can’t stand Windows 11). There are a number of different programs that can clone your hard drive. R-Drive Image has long been one our favorite full-featured program. For a free version, it’s hard to beat EaseUS. I have seen some reports of problems getting the computer to boot from a ready-made clone, so don’t forget to test before you proceed. Further reading: How to save your older PC when Windows 10 hits end of life Update from Windows 10 or reinstall? Foundry Now the question is: Should you install Windows 11 as an update to your existing Windows 10 system, or should you spring clean your computer with a fresh install? This question comes up every time Microsoft releases a brand new version of Windows. You can find users who swear that the system will be faster and suffer from fewer bugs with a brand new installation. But there are also users who believe that this is pure nonsense and that an update is faster and easier as you don’t have to reinstall all your programs and other things. My recommendation if you are unsure is to have a solid backup (see above) and start by testing an update. If all goes well, you will be up and running in Windows 11 considerably faster, and in the unlikely event that you run into any difficulties, you can always do a reinstallation afterwards. If you run the update and go and do something else in the meantime, you’ll lose almost no time. Update in place – keep files, programs, and settings To perform a regular update without having to redo anything after installation, there are two options. The easiest is to go through Windows Update in Settings and let the system itself take care of the update. Then it works much like a major regular update, for example when Windows 10 22H2 was released. The computer will restart a few times during the installation, but otherwise it is just like a regular update. If for some reason you are not offered to update in Windows Update, or you just prefer it, you can download an iso file with the latest version of the system and install from it. You don’t need to create installation media on a USB stick, just double-click the .iso file in Explorer, go to the mounted disc image, and run the Setup.exe program. Foundry After a few steps where the installer checks the computer and a few other things, you will get to a dialog box where you can choose what you want to keep. The default option is to keep everything — that is, files, installed programs, and settings. You can also choose to keep only files, but since you then have to reinstall programs and redo system settings, I think it is better to do a total reinstallation and then move back personal files from the backup. Blow out and start from scratch Foundry If you have a weekend to spend on the update, it can be a great opportunity to spring clean your computer. Over the years, Windows accumulates a lot of junk that never gets cleaned up. Old programs you’ve forgotten you ever installed. Settings, caches, downloaded updates, and much more can gradually fill up your disk. Reformatting and starting from scratch will free up space and make your system more stable. If you then start by removing all the pre-installed programs you don’t need and then installing only the ones you actually want, you’ll end up with a system that feels airier. If you do this, it is particularly important that you have a full backup. Make sure you can boot from it, and that all important files and other things are there. Then use an .iso file of the latest version of Windows 11 and Microsoft’s installation media creation tool on a USB stick. Boot your computer from that and when you get to the step where you choose where to install the system, you can reformat the disk. If you have more than one SSD or hard drive, it is important that you choose the right one, and you may have to disconnect all the drives except the one you are installing on first. The Windows installer is a bit finicky about this. Further reading: The Windows 11 upgrade checklist First acquaintance with Windows 11 Foundry Once the update is complete and you start Windows 11 for the first time and log in, you’re greeted by a full dialog box you need to go through before you get to the desktop. It’s about location services and various features related to how Microsoft collects analytics data and the like. You can always change your mind later in Settings. Next, the system will suggest you “complete the installation,” which is Microsoft’s slightly sneaky attempt to get you to choose Edge as the default browser, enable backup to OneDrive, and a few more things. You can click through but only select the things you actually want. (If you don’t want to see this “helpful” dialog box again, you can open Settings > System > Notifications > Additional settings and tick off the various options.) Nothing more, and you are now greeted by the desktop with the Taskbar in its usual place at the bottom. The Start menu and application icons have moved to the center of the screen instead, but you can move them back to the left if you prefer. One major change is the Start menu itself, which has a new look and layout. Microsoft has made some changes since Windows 11 was first released, and version 24H2 finally has the option to display all installed programs in a list instead of a grid. Click on the All apps button at the top right. Unfortunately, there is no way to open that view by default. Foundry The taskbar also behaves differently than before. If you have multiple windows open in a program, these are not shown as separate icons, but you have to hover the pointer over the program icon to see the different open windows. If you want to go back to the way it was before, you can go to Settings > Personalization > Taskbar > Taskbar Behaviors and select Never for Combine taskbar buttons and hide labels on other taskbars. In the same menu you can also left align the Taskbar. Here are some other things that have become different and may confuse or require some time to get used to: Copy and Paste Both the toolbar and the context menu in Explorer have changed, and the most common commands, like copy and paste, have become icons. Fortunately, Microsoft has listened to user feedback and the context menu also shows the title next to each icon. Action Center is gone Joel Lee / IDG On the far right of the Taskbar used to be the Action Center, which brought together notifications, quick settings, and shortcuts to various functions. The whole feature is gone in Windows 11 and instead there is a new notification view. Default programs Foundry Microsoft has changed how you set up default programs for different file and link types. Open Settings > Apps > Default apps. Here you will find a list of installed programs. Click on an application and a list of file types for which that application is the default application will appear. You can also search for file extensions or link types in the search bar at the top and change the default application for that type. Better Microsoft Store Microsoft In the past, it was almost always best to download programs directly from the developers, and the Microsoft Store didn’t have standard desktop programs. In Windows 11, the store has gotten better and today many of the major programs can be found here. It’s often worth checking the store first and going via the web if you can’t find it. Copilot replaces Cortana As long as you’re signed into a Microsoft account, you’ll have access to the company’s AI chatbot directly in Windows, and the old assistant Cortana is long gone. New design on Settings Foundry Finding your way through all your system settings just got easier. The program now has a permanent list of categories on the left. There are still very deep hierarchies for some settings, but the search function often works well to find a specific setting. Further reading: 11 things I love (and hate) about Windows 11 after using Windows 10 How to restore to Windows 10 Foundry If you have installed Windows 11 as an update with Windows Update, you can roll it back directly in Settings. Go to System > Recovery and click Go back. Follow the instructions. Wait for it to finish (it may take as long as installing the update). If this option is missing, it’s either because you didn’t update with Windows Update, you’ve run System Cleanup after the update, or it’s been so long that Windows has automatically cleaned up the files needed. In that case, you can restore your old installation by cloning back the system from the clone backup you made before updating. Keep in mind that this will overwrite any newer files, so it’s best to make another backup of the system as it is now so you can copy back everything new when you’re done. Of course, this requires an additional hard drive that is large enough. The fact that it’s much easier to roll back with the Go Back feature is another argument in favor of updating to Windows 11 instead of reformatting and reinstalling. Further reading: It’s possible to get a Windows 11 licence cheap (or even free) Get windows 11 pro for cheap in pcworld`s software store Windows 11 Pro Read...

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TechHive Editors Choice At a glanceExpert`s Rating Pros Lots of features for the price Fast 2.5GbE port Very advanced OS with media streaming and backup galore No hidden charges to enable features No license needed to connect IP cameras Cons Occasional interface rough spots All-plastic case Our Verdict The TerraMaster F2-425 two-bay NAS box is a good value for streaming media over your home network, handling IP cams, and backing up your computer and other device data. Price When Reviewed This value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefined Best Pricing Today Best Prices Today: TerraMaster F2-425 two-bay NAS Retailer Price $224.99 View Deal $249.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Best Prices Today: Check today’s prices Millions of people pay month in, month out to store their data in the cloud, seemingly oblivious to the fact they can store their data privately, in their own home, on their own network, without any recurring costs whatsoever. All you need is a NAS box (Network Attached Storage) like the TerraMaster F2-425 reviewed here connected to your router. You can keep the NAS in a physically safe location, stream movies and music to any of networked display, smart TV, or speakers, as well as back up your the photos, videos, and other data stored on any of your devices to it. And the best part is that you don’t need to trust your data to a broadband conduit and some large corporation that quite frankly–wouldn’t give a darn about your data if you weren’t paying them to store it. Specifications If you’re not familiar with a NAS box, it’s basically a tiny computer that’s designed for storing and distributing data–a file server, in the vernacular, although it can do much more. NAS attaches via an ethernet cable, or in some cases Wi-Fi (the F2-425 is hardwired only). You access the files stored on a NAS box via your operating system’s (Windows Explorer, the MacOS Finder, etc.) network browsing and administer it or access its virtual machines and apps with a Web browser. In some cases, you can attach a keyboard via the NAS box’s USB port and a display via its DisplayPort or HDMI; however, while the F2-425 has an HDMI port, it’s used for terminal (aka command line) use only. Unlike some NAS boxes, this one has no graphical desktop or direct streaming media output. The all-black TerraMaster F2-425 is constructed largely from plastic with some metal framing to secure the components inside. It measures around 9-inches long, 5.5-inches high, and 4.6-inches wide, and it weighs just a tad under four pounds unpopulated (i.e., before you add any of the drives that are needed for storage). I’d love to say it’s ruggedly constructed, but on one of the rubberized feet was falling off after only a few drags across the rough surface you see in the photos. It’ll do, but don’t set it in the back of your jeep while off-roading and expect it to survive. As you can see in the photo at the top of this page, the F2-425’s front panel is home to the power button, activity and power lights, a single a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Type-A port for quickly copying data from the NAS, and the two quick-change drive bays. There’s no drive-locking mechanism, but we’re hoping you trust everyone in your home. If you don’t, well…. The box’s rear panel features the 2.5GbE ethernet port, two more 10Gbps Type-A USB ports, the power jack, an HDMI port, and a large fan to keep things cool. There’s also a pinhole reset button that I had to use since I couldn’t remember the first password I used. Dummy. The fastest transfer rate you’ll get from a 2.5GbE network device is 300MBps–only a skosh faster than today’s high-capacity hard disk drives (HDDs) (which can transfer files at around 275MBps), but slower than SATA solid state drives (SSDs) (they can perform file transfers at 550MBps). Streaming even high-resolution 4K video, however, requires transfer speeds less than 50Mbps (that’s megabits per second), so you’ll have bandwidth to spare with the F2-425. You’ll find two quick-change drive bays inside the F2-425 that can accommodate either 2.5- or 3.5-inch HDDs or 2.5-inch SATA SSDs, and you can hot-swap drives if you so desire. While HDDs and SATA SSDs might seem quaint in the age of NVMe (Non Volatile Memory Express), you can get up to 72TB of storage with the former, but only 32TB with the latter–and then only with a pair of VectoTech 16TB V-MAX drives that cost $1,700 each! Normies can figure on 8TB with two $250 4TB consumer-grade SATA SSDs (4TB if configured as RAID 1). And in at least the case of HDDs, I would recommend that mirror them (RAID 1) if there’s anything irreplaceable on them. That halves the storage, but it reduces the chance of catastrophic data loss if one drive fails in striped RAID 0. The processor is a four-core Intel Celeron N5095 and there’s 4GB of DRAM on board–easily enough to run the Linux-based TNAS operating system that’s provided, but not powerful enough to host the Roon music server. (Roon recommends having at least an Intel Core i3 processor and 8MB of DRAM.) What are the TerraMaster F2-425’s multimedia features? Of most interest to the average home user will be the F2-425’s video, music, and photo features. For streaming video and music, there’s TerraMaster’s own Multimedia Server, which leverages DLNA. The acronym stands for Digital Living Network Alliance, a trade group Sony founded in 2003, and it’s become the baseline for even the included (and more powerful) Emby, Plex, and Jellyfin media servers. You can click on the preceding links for TechHive’s reviews of those product, but Plex is the most mainstream option. Setting up Plex on the F2-425. The Photos app features “AI”, aka pattern recognition, and it will auto-sort photos based on various criteria. Bittorrent clients and an iTunes server are also on board. Using the F2-425 for client backup TNAS’s Centralized Backup is one of my favorite NAS backup apps. You can of course install clients for it on your computers and devices, but you don’t have to. If you share the files on your devices, you can access them via Centralized Backup’s SMB (i.e., normal Windows file sharing). TNAS’s extensive support for backup includes local, network, cloud, and other remote servers. In other words, turn on file sharing on your computer or device, share the folders you want backed up, then add them as sources to a Centralized Backup file server backup. From there, you can use TNAS’s online storage backup software to sync your backed-up data to the cloud, and/or sync it from the cloud to the F2-425. The commercial services supported include BackBlaze B2, Google Drive, OneDrive, Amazon S3, Dropbox, Box Baidu Cloud, Alibaba Cloud, and others??. There’s Time Machine support for Apple users, but iCloud is not supported. Setting up the F2-425 to back up shared files on my M4 Max Studio. On a side note, I highly recommend keeping a local copy of your precious photos. There have been no huge losses of data from a major online repository, but it’s an increasingly dangerous online world. Using the F2-425 for security cameras Did you know that you don’t need to pay through the nose to have online surveillance vendors monitor your premises? Indeed, before those services were available, local security systems employing hardwired or IP cameras (Internet Protocol cameras that use your local network via Ethernet or Wi-Fi rather than an online service.) were the norm. IP cams are still readily available for not a whole lot of cash. And you can still access IP cameras remotely, although that requires configuring the ports on your router so that you can reach the F2-425 from outside your home network. Alternatively, you can use the TerraMaster TNAS Web portal/forwarding service, which is a far easier and more secure way to go about it. The TNAS Surveillance manager, though it doesn’t include a satellite for this view. To that end, TerraMaster provides its Surveillance Manager app (shown above) which will accommodate multiple ONVIF-compliant (Open Network Video Interface Forum) IP cams without expensive additional licenses as the boxes from QNAP and Synology typically require. Yay TerraMaster! What are the FS-425’s other features? While media streaming and backup will be the most important features for the average user, the TerraMaster is also suitable for SMBs (small to medium-sized businesses) and even enterprise use. It supports virtual machines, too, so you can compute over your web browser; and there’s a Docker host, so you can do the same via Docker modules. As to the basics, the F2-425 runs the BTRFS (Better File System) which features copy-on-write, snapshots, and data scrubbing. There’s also deduplication, MyBB and phpBB bulletin boards, NextCloud shared storage, FTP client, Portainer (like Docker), a web server), Java. iBos, and a lot of other stuff that IT types love. A reasonably recent (6.7/2024) version of WordPress is included (keep it updated if you decide to use it) if you want to create and host your own website. Be careful with that. I was malware-attacked hosting my own website (I was running a very outdated and vulnerable version of WordPress), and only diligent backup policies saved me. I’m not totally against hosting your own site, but do so only if there’s nothing else of importance on the box, and keep the site constantly backed up to less vulnerable external media. The open-source ClamAV antivirus engine is available as a TNAS app, though I’m not sure it would protect you from a WordPress exploit. TerraMaster F2-425 performance While not quite the fastest 2.5Gbe NAS box I’ve tested, the F2-425 isn’t far enough off the pace to worry about. Generally speaking, with a single 2TB SATA SSD inside, read and write speeds varied between 250- and 300MBps. Read speeds of 292MBps and 202MBps writing isn’t bad, although other benchmark tools I used gave the F2-425 higher write ratings. Given that 4K video requires only around 25- to 50Mbps, the the F2-425 should easily stream video to multiple clients simultaneously. And client backups, while not extraordinarily speedy, shouldn’t take more than a few minutes each. At least after the initial slog of a few hours at roughly 250GB per hour. This all, of course, depends on the amount of data involved. Fast enough aside, if you want to know what 10GbE and NVMe bring to the table, check out my review of the TerraMaster D8 SSD Plus in Macworld. Short story: Almost 1GBps best case, though larger NVMe SSDs are pricey. Disk Speed Test rated the F2-425’s reading and writing a relatively even 260- and 270MBps respectively. One thing I don’t like about TNAS is that it doesn’t multitask particularly well. For instance, I couldn’t retreat to the desktop and fire up the file manager while installing an app. That’s not a deal killer, but there are four cores. Let’s use em’! Should you buy the TerraMaster F2-425? While I’ve traditionally recommended QNAP and Synology as the go-to vendors in the consumer NAS space, TerraMaster’s TNAS OS has matured to the point where it’s every bit as capable, and the company doesn’t nickel-and-dime you for “extras,” such as security camera license fees the way those other vendors now do. So yes, I’m recommending the F2-425 as a top choice in a two-bay NAS box for multimedia streaming, backup, home file sharing, and storing video from ONVIF IP cams. Good job TerraMaster. Read...

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Digital ID in New Zealand is a done deal, unless we make it very clear to the government of the day that we will not accept it. It`s slippery slope time! Read...

The latest in the military shooter series is a pivotal release for publisher Electronic Arts. Read...