Windows 10 Ent LTSB 2016 installation - Samsung 970 EVO Plus nvme driver

[Ata]

Dear Expert Team,

I have some NUC11TNKi7 kits and Windows 10 Enterprise LTSB 2016 licenses.
I bought Samsung 970 EVO Plus 1TB drives.

My issue is the following:

• If I download the latest win10 image with media creation tool, etc -> Installation working fine -> But license is not working
• If I download the LTSB 2016 latest image (seems 1809) can not recognize my NVME drive.
• I have downloaded the RST-Win10_Win11-18.6.0.1015.1 drivers, but not working
• Samsung_NVM_Express_Driver_3.3 is a .exe, cannot get out any driver files to make the drive work.

Actually I don't know what I need to fix. I don't know actually how to proceed.  Do I need the right Samsung driver? Or I need the onboard Intel driver? Or maybe if you have any alternative idea?

Thank you for your support in advance!

Have a great day!

[AlHill]

These are not Intel problems.

Get a license for Windows 10, and stop messing around with a 6-year old LTSB.

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[n_scott_pearson]

Let me add that (a) LTSB is, for the most part, a Microsoft-only thing that is not liked and not supported by most vendors (including Intel, who typically support/validate three Windows 10 updates back and no further) and (b) do not forget that you can still use old (non-LTSB, of course) Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 licenses for from-scratch (i.e., not upgrade) installs of Windows 10 (and even Windows 11!).

...S

[Ata]

Thank you for the advices.
LTSB is still supported until Oct 2026. Unfortunately I have about 120pcs of LTSB licenses and computers to install. Unfortunately I have no more 17.400EUR for licenses, I need to find solution.
Yes, we are talkink about scratch insallation here, but older win7, 8, 8.1 install images does not have the drivers included in the image. The current images includes for sure... but license not acceptable.
Meanwhile I have tried to install the LTSB on another computer with SSD and create a full disk image file. I have installed the image on the NUC, but does not boot. Just have a black screen. Probably no driver to the drive included. And for sure intel driver set does not allow to install the exe driver, because of different architecture.
Does anyone else has some other idea to try?
Thank you in advance

[AlHill]

Again, this is not an intel problem.   Contact microsoft and/or samsung for help with this. 

Doc (not an Intel employee or contractor)
[Maybe Windows 12 will be better]

[Ata]

Ok, thanks

Meanwhile if anyone has any idea, please feel free to share.

Thank you

[n_scott_pearson]

I did not say start from Windows 7/8/8.1 media. Use the latest Windows 10 installation media but with old Windows 7/8/8.1 license keys (not LTSB keys, however). Will work just fine - if you an find enough of these old (and unused) license keys.

Not sure what Microsoft saying LTSB support is good through 2026 is when al of the hardware vendors have left this in their rearview mirrors. It really only applies to the hardware that existed in 2016 and the drivers that existed in 2016/2017 to support this hardware. Using the latest Intel NUCs (I include the NUC11TN models in this group), you need the most recent driver packages and nothing from 2016 is going to cut it. Face it: capabilities and technologies exist today that weren't even on the horizon in 2016.

I feel for you and I am trying to be positive, but I don't see you proceeding using this hardware and LTSB licenses from 2016.

Sorry,

...S

[Ata]

Thank you for your words. Yeah, I am aware, this technology is a new thing. Probably I "just" need the right driver during installation. Honestly I did not know which driver I have to include. I hope Samsung can help me on this. If I get response from them, I will post here the solution.

Thank you