When Windows 10 support runs out, you have 5 options but only 2 are worth considering

ZDnet ^ | April 22, 2024 | Ed Bott

[fireman15]

Microsoft will officially end support for its most popular operating system in October 2025. Here's what you should do with your Windows 10 PCs before that day arrives.

In less than two years, Microsoft will draw the final curtain on Windows 10 after a successful 10-year run.

That news shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. The end date is right there on the Microsoft Support document that lists "products retiring or reaching the end of support in 2025." The schedule is defined by Microsoft's Modern Lifecycle Policy: "Windows 10 will reach end of support on October 14, 2025. The current version, 22H2, will be the final version of Windows 10, and all editions will remain in support with monthly security update releases through that date."

When a Windows version reaches its end-of-support date, the software keeps working, but the update channel grinds to a halt:

There will be no new security updates, non-security updates, or assisted support. Customers are encouraged to migrate to the latest version of the product or service. Paid programs may be available for applicable products.

That part in the middle sounds encouraging, doesn't it? "Customers are encouraged to migrate to the latest version of the product or service." Unfortunately, that's not a supported option for customers running Windows 10 on hardware that doesn't meet the stringent hardware compatibility requirements of Windows 11. If you try to upgrade one of those PCs to Windows 11, you'll encounter an error message. And Microsoft is adamant that it will not extend the support deadline for Windows 10.

Option 1: Ignore the end-of-support deadline completely

Option 2: Buy a new PC

Option 3: Ditch Windows completely

Option 4: Pay Microsoft for security updates

Option 5: Upgrade your old hardware to Windows 11

[George from New England]

I still having a running, live
box on Win98

[ducttape45]

I use this program to keep my Windows 10 from updating and it works great. I've been using it for several years now. I now have my Windows 10 locked on version 1909 since that's the last W10 O/S my hardware will support. I only disable it when I manually install updates that I download from the Windows Update Catalog.

Stop Updates 10

[mountainlion]

Option 6: Ditch Bill Gates permanently and go elsewhere. Apple, Lenox ... any where ells but Microsoft. Some new computers are Lenox prepared. I am trying to reload MS Dos into an old computer so I can use some old equipment bill gates made obsolete.

[Reno89519]

And while I’ve worked in IT for over 40 years—lots of changes!—what you are discussing is relevant to about 1% of the population. Myself, even if I wanted to, I wouldn’t use Linux for work, not worth the compatibility issues. Just like my truck, I just want it to work without getting my hands dirty. That said, I still build my computers from parts.

[oldtech]

I just recently acquired another machine set up for 10. I gave up the old one, which was still doing what I needed with 7, but no support of course. Wonder if I’ll be able to hang on to this one awhile? I have no desire for Windows 11 & I am getting old probably faster than what Microsoft is doing with their “versions”.

[microgood]

Thanks but I am too old to switch to Linux.

[RasterMaster]

It all depends on how tethered you want your life to be to companies that don’t give a rip other than making you a slave to their latest “apps” that sell your info to the highest bidder. There is a third option....Dump them all. I think with the exposure many of these companies are garnering for themselves that another option will emerge and eventually phase each of them out, starting with Bill Gates. In fact, kind of shocked that it already hasn’t taken place by now.

https://www.techradar.com/news/best-alternative-operating-systems

[Reily]

Linux! Lenox I think is a vacuum clear!

[Paladin2]

Sounds like a good set up.

Most of the day I’m out and about, so need a more mobile setup.

We do have a plethora in Amazon bot spying Dots around the house and detached garage [and even in one vehicle [~20 yr old] with a dedicated hot spot] so get low quality audio from those.

Thanks for your system description. There’s plenty of possible configurations these dayz.

[AndyJackson]

Gates wired his house for ethernet. Then wifi came along. Tch... tch...

[Paladin2]

Are you >75?

[fireman15]

Linux is viable, people just need to not expect the same GUI as Microsoft (they are all similar anyways).

Actually, that is an oversimplification. I have been using various versions of Linux since the 1990s. The problem is that I was an early adopter of Photoshop. I have all sorts of software that will not run on Linux.

I have Ubuntu Studio dual booting on three machines, and it is pretty amazing, but it is still not a substitute for Windows for me. The parties that need to be convinced to switch to Linux are the companies that develop software like Adobe, Black Magic Design, and Autodesk. They dip their toes in it once and a while but it never seems to take

Linux can do a lot especially when it comes to browsing, word processing, and even many creative endeavors but it is typically like you are stepping back ten or more years.

[Angelino97]

I have laptops with Windows XL and one with Windows 95.

But my Windows 98 laptop died over 20 years ago. I foolishly didn't use an anti-virus or perhaps even a firewall. For whatever reason, it kept crashing, bringing up the Blue Screen of Death.

My 95 and XL have stood up remarkably well.

[PAR35]

The issue is that it’s got an AMD A-4 dual core processor; the computer is worth every bit of the $200 I paid for it new off the shelf. It will run pretty much any single process but trying to run two things at once is problematical, and it’s very slow to boot up or load programs. And updates are a nightmare. I did try Puppy on it, but even that was frustrating. I’d rather try to upgrade the 15 or so year old machine than this one, but I have some old programs on it that I don’t know if they would run under Win11, so I’ll leave that one on 10 as well.

Frankly, if MS let me downgrade to XP on the two machines, I’d be willing to give that a try.

Win11 is just an effort to force new hardware on everyone; I expect anyone that can explain what’s in the new hardware that the government wants is under an NDA, so there is that.

[Carry_Okie]

Linux advocates should be happy about Windows 10 going away. It will probably be an opportunity for them with many people finally taking the plunge.

So far, I have found the Linux equivalents to Adobe Acrobat severely lacking.

I have a 13GB outlook.pst file. I use those old emails frequently. I have not yet been successful in migrating those files to Thunderbird.

The Linux Photoshop equivalents I have used so far are quite capable but much more troublesome to perform routine work, particularly on camera RAW files, for which most of that software have no equivalents, even for Nikon NRW files.

Finally, I formatted a 4TB hard drive on Linux that doesn't show up on Win10, even though I already had another NTFS drive that did. Don't know why, but it's a PITA.

I spent a fair bit upgrading my motherboard to a dual boot setup, but so far it's been nothing but pain.

[PAR35]

I understand that the tax software I use is going to force Win11 next year.

[kiryandil]

Disagree. Microsoft has little penetration in the tablet market with Surface, and even less with Smartphones, despite numerous attempts. Chasing people to Smartphones means chasing t hem away from MS and towards Apple/Android.

I didn't say that MicroSlop was doing this as a marketing thing.

I have less PCs to work on these days because no ordinary consumer wants to deal with MicroSlop bollixing up their PC.

So, they just leave the personal computer for a more friendly interface, and it doesn't matter which.

Just as long as MicroSlop and its garbage bossy computer products [This PC - not the former My PC] are out of their hair.

[kiryandil]

Accept nothing less than a desktop with a fair sized case.

Something that is relatively easy to monkey with.

I'm with you!  

[P.O.E.]

Tired of having to search around for buttons that worked fine on old versions but are now buried in a miasma of “re-imaginings”.

[ansel12]

I only use ethernet in every room, it seems preferable if available.