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

[BipolarBob]

I use Linux all the time and I’m no techie. For surfing, it works fine.

[fireman15]

Still using winDoze 7 as well. Works fine

I am still using a 40-year-old King KX-170B radio in our airplane and probably will continue to until it finally dies. But is it even worth sending it into the repair shop if it starts acting flakey?

Who really cares as long it continues to send and receive? For that matter who really wants to talk on the radio? It is a distraction. But there have been a few advances made in computer technology in the same time period. You will probably be more than a little surprised when your old computer gives up the ghost and you are finally forced to upgrade.

[Mat_Helm]

HP PC Windows 7 offline work......

2017 IMAC 3.4Ghz Quad core 1TB Mem and16GB DRAM, still works great on Mac Ventura.

Got away from Microsoft decade ago and happily staying that way.

[fireman15]

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

You can run Windows XP in a virtual machine quite easily to run old software. I have a licensed version of Windows XP installed in a virtual machine. And I have old computers that still have Windows XP... because I never throw any computer hardware out. I have what is basically a museum.

But using Windows XP is a bit of a frustrating experience because you, like me have probably gotten used to some of the niceties that later versions of Windows provide.

[microgood]

Thanks, did not know that!

[napscoordinator]

Bill gates is the worst guy on earth. I’d never give him a dime. He’s for global abortion, climate change and other garbage. You keep supporting him.

[microgood]

Are you >75?

Not yet. I guess I should have said set in my ways. I use Office pretty heavily and know most of the issues with the Windows OS, and although I know you can run Windows apps on Linux, I am sure that whole process takes some learning.

I worked in the Microsoft .NET world for most of my career and since I am retired, I am not as enthusiastic about solving issues as I was when working.

[Highest Authority]

How will this affect my VIC-20?

[ansel12]

My W10 laptops are ancient but If I ever do force a W11 update onto an inadequate computer will that leave any hidden security vulnerabilities that as a non-expert wouldn’t be aware of as the years passed?

Would I be OK to accept it as a 100% W11 computer with no hidden weaknesses?

[Paladin2]

“Win11 is just an effort to force new hardware....”

Not being into gaming and having a $1000+ video card, [or being a bitcoin “miner”] I’m very unclear on what new hardware and s/w is going to do for me.

[SkyDancer]

My dad has an OEM version of Windows 7.

[Paladin2]

Thanks.

I was always pulling for BeOS.

[doorgunner69]

Go coordinate a nap FOR SOMEONE.

I have not bought a MS product in over ten years when I got this Win 7 box.
Unlike you Apple fanbois that buy every new toy they come out with.

[Paladin2]

XP?

[tarator]

Does your house include maintenance and security upgrades forever?

[George from New England]

Do you mean XP?

[Billthedrill]

My main workstation is 12+ years old, hence no TPM module. I find that since retiring there isn't really very much I do outside of gaming that requires Microsoft anyway, and have been pleasantly surprised at how much of it I can accomplish with an Android tablet. Gates or Google, pick your poison.

I converted an old NUC to Linux and have been using it that way ever since, despite the Win10 license I could boot into. That one is probably going to dump the latter and be redeployed as a music box. The lappy is ready for retirement anyway as literally all of its functions are being performed better by the tablet. Not only is Microsoft abandoning my market demographic, but my market demographic may be abandoning Microsoft just as fast. There's nothing amicable about this divorce, but when one partner says it's over, it's over.

[TalBlack]

“Customers are encouraged to migrate to the latest version of the product or service. Paid programs may be available for applicable products.“

Yeah well people who make various extremely useful hardware and software don’t migrate to the latest version.

[Dr. Sivana]

I suspect that Microsoft is making a bigger and bigger chunk of money off of their Azure and related Cloud services. That means money from business, and lots of it. Business is not going to move from laptop/desktop PCs to pads and phones any time soon.

[dayglored]

> I don’t get that one, to me the task bar is the same, you just have to choose the settings you want for it.

In Win10, you could do two good things that were left out when MS redesigned the Win11 taskbar to support ads.

• Cursor over the top edge of the taskbar, click-drag it up or down to increase or decrease the height of the taskbar. On a laptop with limited vertical space, the default height is too high, I always lower it in Win10.
• Click-drag in clear space within the taskbar in Win10 allows you to re-position it from the default bottom to the left or right edges of the screen. Again, to allow for more vertical space. ("Auto-hiding" the taskbar does not accomplish the same thing.)

Are you able to do those two taskbar changes in Win11? if so, please divulge your steps to do so.

Disclosure: There are suggestions on the internet to a) re-scale the screen and then b) re-scale the text font size. Again, this does not accomplish the same thing, and it screws up other things as collateral damage.