Windows 10 has a year (8 months) left to live – but are users prepared to upgrade to Windows 11?

Tech Radar ^ | October 15, 2024 | Rosario Blue

[fireman15]

It’s official: after 10 years of noble service, Windows 10 will reach its end on October 14, 2025, and what a great decade it’s been. For many users, Microsoft redeemed itself after a run of disappointing operating systems – the mere mention of Windows 8 still sends some people into a rage – but Windows 10 got it right.

That’s why the announcement of Windows 11 came as a shock. It felt too soon, too rushed – and unnecessary. Many believed that Windows 10 deserved more time to marinate. At least until it finally managed to migrate the whole Control Panel to Settings.

Jokes aside, Windows 10 made its mark with its support of legacy software, flexibility and its introduction of enhanced cloud integration in the form of OneDrive, which made accessing your files from any internet-connected PC a breeze. Its regular security updates and long-term servicing channels (LTSC) made it especially popular with businesses. (If you want to see the good stuff you will have to follow the link above.)

[dennisw]

You know that OptiPlex and Latitude are business/ corporate lines from Dell. So they are built better than Inspiron. OptiPlex has always favored DisplayPort while HP lags on this. Buy both Dells from eBay that corporations have traded in for newer models. Most of them are still in Dell warranty.

For many reasons DisplayPort is superior to HDMI. OptiPlex have 2-3 of them. Modern Latitudes will have USB-C ports that can be used as DisplayPorts with the right adapter or monitor cable. They also have an HDMI port.

For 17.3 inch laptops HP is where you go. There are trusted sellers on eBay for these 17.3” used.

Linux Mint looks great these days. But I still need windows 11 for certain programs. And Windows 11 low blue light “app” is vastly superior to Linux. At night I shift away from blue and into the red or reddish.

[sushiman]

Thanks for the info . Up until now I would get notifications offering me the option to upgrade to Windows 11 but I always declined . This is the first time I’ve seen the blue circle in the icon at the bottom right of my screen next to speaker volume icon . I’m a PC dummy ; I don’t even know what the icon is . It’s rectangular and has 2 arrows in it pointing left and right .

[fireman15]

I went through this same type of irritation with Windows XP, Windows 7, and Windows 10. I don’t like being forced to upgrade the operating system in a computer that I have setup and working the way that I like. As often as not forced upgrades turn out not to be very helpful.

I usually end up upgrading to a different operating system because I have purchased a new computer that came with it.

[fireman15]

I have had several used OptiPlex desktop computers over the years. I can't remember one that let me down. The last laptop that I purchased from Costco for my wife is a Dell Lattitude which came with very good specs for the price which had been marked down $250 for Black Friday last year.

I intended to purchase a couple Optiplex desktops to use as media servers, but I ended up with a couple HP mini desktops instead which have worked out surprisingly well for us. Both of them came with DisplyPorts instead of HDMI, but the adapters are about $10 a piece.

The little HP mini-computers easily fit in the same space as a DVD Player. They were actually business computers to start with as well. One thing that I like about them is that they came with external power supplies. When I added GPUs all I had to do was purchase larger power supplies for about $20 a piece.

The problem with HP 17.3” laptops is that the hinges are absolute crap and they fall apart long before the computer develops some other type of issue. I typically use ground up charcoal bricket powder and superglue to patch up the broken plastic around the hinges. It looks pretty ugly but usually holds them together if you do a little planning on the repair.

[dennisw]

“The problem with HP 17.3” laptops is that the hinges are absolute crap and they fall apart long before the computer develops some other type of issue.”

When was this hinges problem? HP has fixed this problem by now. I have held onto an HP 17.3”/ i5-8265U/8GB that broke one hinge. I found out later there is a screw to back off to loosen the hinges. Bought used eBay. The problem was tight hinges. That laptop is 100% functional. If left permanently open on a desk it has no problems.

My opinion is that you need CPU 6000 passmark score to use Win 11 nicely. Though I prefer 10000 CPU passmark score. The CPU I am typing on right now = 20000 passmark score

I never play games so you can guess what I need (minimum requirements) in a Windoze PC. And extensions-
Tab suspender
Sesion Buddy

[dennisw]

“I intended to purchase a couple Optiplex desktops to use as media servers, but I ended up with a couple HP mini desktops instead which have worked out surprisingly well for us. Both of them came with DisplyPorts instead of HDMI, but the adapters are about $10 a piece.”

Yeah I like external power supplies like that, OptiPlex also has tiny models like that. But then I look at the intel CPU and it has a T at the end I get disgusted. T will mean 2000 lower passmark score.
Those tinys have 2 DP outs, can be use like a Mac mini.

Intel gets a bad rap. Its CPUs with GPUs are good enuff for 90% of computer users. The problem is that people are not computer users. They are using unbearably tiny screens to access the internet. How can they do this? I am talking about using smart-phones for internet access.

[dennisw]

“I am “typing” this out on a “Windows 11 Pro To Go” installation that I use when I want to use Android Apps on a PC... The Android E-book apps and some others are a real pleasure to use on a PC. Windows 11’s subsystem for Android is superior in many ways to emulators which do basically the same thing.”

I must try this for the few android apps I like! How do you load these apps onto windows 11? I read that MS will be stopping this? There is a download one must install I am sure.

***********Windows 11 to go on external USB NVME drive. To load android apps onto.************

[fireman15]

I must try this for the few android apps I like! How do you load these apps onto windows 11? I read that MS will be stopping this?

I just followed directions that I found. Microsoft ended their support for Windows Subsystem for Android and the Amazon Appstore a little more than a month ago... It all still works minus the Amazon Appstore on my computers. I have been using a work around that allowed me to use the Google Appstore so none of this actually has caused any issues for me. This just means that it doesn't get any updates or security patches for the Subsystem.

It was one of the first things that I did with Windows 11 years ago. It is hard for me to believe that they stopped support for this. Unlike Bluestacks you do not have to suffer through any ads to use it.

Here are some directions that look like what I used quite a while back.

https://gist.github.com/HimDek/eb8704e2da1d98240153165743960e17

[sushiman]

The icon with the blue circle is the update icon . The blue circle still there .

I’m still using Windows 7 on my old Dell desktop with no problems . Use only at night to watch stuff on YT or a DVD and check websites like FR , PC must be 12 years old by now . Can’t kill it hehe .

[dennisw]

Got the sub system loaded onto my Windows 11 computer. Thanks! Only problem is that the apps all are too small. While they fill the screen of my 10” tablet D106 el cheapo generic with Android #14.

[fireman15]

Only problem is that the apps all are too small. While they fill the screen of my 10” tablet D106 el cheapo generic with Android #14.

I also have one of those generic 106 tablets as well. Mine is a Zonko, a Chinese company which the reviews say, provides some customer support.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D47N3DBT

Mine holds a SIM along with a micro-SD. It came with a keyboard, mouse case and some other accessories. It was about a hundred dollars. Nearly all of the specs were exxagerated. When I purchased it they were claiming that it had 1920x1200 resolution when it is obvious from the time that you turn i on that it is actually 1280x800. It has about the same processing power as the 2021 10” Fire tablets which I own which have a much better screen, but this tablet is more versatile.

When you put in an Ultra Mobile $3 a month SIM card it works exactly the same as a jumbo phone except that all my phones get 5G with the same card when they are close to a T-Mobile cell tower.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/285112988423

I haven't figured out how to root it. But it has come in quite handy and the battery life is good although it has only 6000 mah and not 8000 mah as advertised.

I am not sure what is causing the issue on your Windows 11 computer where the apps will not fill the screen... I have not had this difficulty. The apps should run in both full screen and windowed modes. I will try to take a closer look at the directions that I found for you last night. I am pretty sure that there is a very simple settings change that will fix this.

I have been using Android emulators on Windows 10 for years. The Windows Subsystem for Android is superior in most ways, but there is sometimes a need to mess around with it to get it to work right. There are also additional tools available for managing it that I do not think were mentioned in the directions that I found for you last night. The feature was never well explained by Microsoft and now they have dumped their support.

[fireman15]

I have been a bad boy this morning... I purchased a little mini-computer from Amazon that came bundled with what seems to be a fairly capable webcam for $139.

https://www.amazon.com/3-70GHz-Computers-Webcam-Windows-Recognition/dp/B0F1SNCX39

I have experience with this generation of Ryzen processor and have found it to be more capable than the benchmarks indicate because of the very capable integrated GPU.

I am planning on adding an additional Ethernet adapter and using it with a Raid Enclosure as a fairly capable NAS.

[dennisw]

I was craving over a 15.6” laptop used eBay yesterday. I had to grab my typing hand to retrain myself. The US has so much prime computer equipment around, that if the CCP cut us off tomorrow, nothing will be felt for 5 years.

[dennisw]

Windows 95 Boot Up in 2025! | Ultimate Retro Tech
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/6U2bvTmLJbg

*********** Like the LCD speed indicator on this retro. A full intel pentium 100mhz.

[fireman15]

The US has so much prime computer equipment around, that if the CCP cut us off tomorrow, nothing will be felt for 5 years.

The problem is that with Windows 11, Microsoft is trying to force people to throw out a lot of perfectly good hardware. I am not sure how well this is going to work out for them. There are numerous workarounds that people will use. Any equipment that doesn't meet Windows 11’s minimum specs has already lost a lot of its value on sites such as eBay.

Many people will not throw out perfectly good hardware, but most will not buy additional hardware that now does not have a legitimate upgrade path. So, there is demand for newer computers whether people really need them or not.

I was at a social event yesterday and my longtime friend who is well into his 80s was telling me about the new computer that he just purchased. He is not very computer savvy, but he was rattling off Microsoft's selling points for Windows 11 and Office 365. This is someone who had no compelling need to upgrade his 5-year-old desktop; it was new enough that it would already have run Windows 11.

Then he showed me his 5-year-old Subaru that he just paid $35,000 for. This is someone who is constantly whining about his financial situation. My mother taught me that it is best to keep your mouth shut if you have nothing positive to say to someone, so I just congratulated him on his new computer and newish car.

I do not feel as constrained here.

[dennisw]

I bought used ebay laptop and desktop in year 2000. My minimum specs were Intel 8th gen cpu. Because we all knew that 8th gen on up are all upgradable to windows 11.

There are zillions of 8th gen or better computers on ebay. 8th gen pushes win 10 and 11 through easily. They will work with windows 12 too except for the AI features that will be in there. Windows 12 will be very AI oriented in realty and for hyped PR purposes....

Windows 12 AI will mesh very well with PCs that you buy next year onward that will have AI chips on motherboard and Intel AMD chips that do AI too.

There will probably be USB connected AI accelerators about the size of NVidias Jetson that will do AI better than Apple M4 chips. Out in a year or two. I looked into this on Grok3.

Apples M chips are about to get spanked by pedestrian intel amd cpus.... when you combine them with a USB AI accelerator box with superior AI gpus going for $500 and then quickly down to $200