MS end of windows 10 support

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AAC

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#319175 30-Mar-2025 13:06

MS are ending their support for windows 10 apparently in October this year. Does anyone know if there is a final date for a last feature update. I think something is happening or ending in May this year. Also it seems that the only way to continue getting any security updates after October is to either upgrade to windows 11 or enroll in Microsofts ESU programme. Has anyone done is and how do you enroll in it. thanks

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#3358746 30-Mar-2025 13:21

Afaik there are no more feature updates only security updates until Oct, never enrolled in ESU, we are upgrading all clients to Windows 11 and replacing hardware that can't do Windows 11 so Intel 7th gen and older which need to be upgraded anyways due to age of those PCs.

Mehrts

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#3358757 30-Mar-2025 16:02

You can install Windows 11 on "unsupported" hardware if it's for a non-professional/business (i.e.home) setup. There are various ways to achieve this.

Of course there are no gaurantees that it'll work for particular hardware combos, but I've been running W11 on a 6th gen i7-6700 PC ever since it was first released for beta download. I recently updated it to 24H2, no issues.

ps2jak2

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#3358760 30-Mar-2025 16:26

The last Win 10 feature update was 22H2 which came out in late 2022. Since then its really been security updates only though they have made a few exceptions and made minor tweaks here and there.

While running Win 11 on hardware MS officially support is safest option, I've personally had success installing it on a couple of "unsupported" PCs (both desktops). Both of which are currently running Win 11 24H2 fine.

The first being my i5 6600K/ 16GB RAM / 512GB SSD custom build which dates to back to 2015 (with a few upgrades like GPU since) which has been running Win11 fine since it first came out in 2021 (21H2).

The other is a 4th gen i5 / 16GB RAM / SSD HP Elitedesk G1 800 which I only just upgraded. Initially after the install on the HP, the CPU fan was running at full speed all the time but that went away after installing the latest monthly update and rebooting. I Googled it and apparently that was a issue on some devices in the release build of 24H2....

The only other issues I've had have been "common" bugs that also impacted supported devices and it performs fine. The only thing I recommend is turning off the fancy Win 11 animations in advanced system settings as on the 4th gen i5 this lags because the IGPU is very old and not even technically win 11 compatible driver wise...

Will either of these PC's continue to get future feature updates - I honestly don't know and that's the catch as you may find one day you suddenly can't update further. It will be interesting to see if 25H2 breaks anything. The 6600K PC is going to be upgraded soonish (next 12 months) and the 4th gen will chug along till it fails / gets to slow or I luck into some cheap newer hardware to replace it.

Oblivian

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#3358779 30-Mar-2025 17:20

Keep in mind a number of utilities that assisted with skirting requirements mentioned here, started being flagged as malware since Feb. They also took the opportunity and removed mention of the registries and methods to allow hardware that meets but doesn't have TPM2 etc from the windows11 install pages. And changed wording to more or less, you can't. Trade in your hardware where possible.

So although it was/could. May not soon.

Makes me wonder if they will Timebomb the updates for HW checks they've been 'may' ing all along.

BlakJak

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#3358816 30-Mar-2025 21:51

It's not like we didn't know this was coming - they've been signalling it for ages.

Stop trying to revive a dead duck - upgrade. To either Windows 11 or to Linux - whichever you prefer.

Posted from Linux. 😁

No signature to see here, move along...

xpd

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#3358860 31-Mar-2025 09:47

Consumer NZ are idiots.

Consumer NZ urges Microsoft to extend Windows 10 support, warns of ‘tech nightmare’ - NZ Herald

"He warned the situation could turn into a “tech nightmare for hundreds of thousands of people”, and Kiwis who shelled out for a new PC in early 2021 could have their purchase become obsolete just four years later."

If you have bought a NEW PC in the last 4 years that is NOT Win 11 compliant, W.T.F did you buy ?

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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mattwnz

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#3359011 31-Mar-2025 12:26

Maybe a computer with an old CPU which was probably a cheaper one. But I do wonder if they have actually got any examples of this. Certainly refurbished PCs would have these older cpus

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

xpd

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#3359025 31-Mar-2025 12:53

Yeah but then they're used/2nd hand, he said "new".

Its not first time I've come across someone in the media classed as a "expert/professional" and talked absolute BS. Its sending people the wrong message and now some of those people with 4 year old systems are now going to race out (if they can afford to) and buy yet another new system..... "Consumer said I wouldnt be able to use Windows".

Gavin / xpd / FastRaccoon / Geek of Coastguard New Zealand

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ezbee

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#3359047 31-Mar-2025 14:19

Probably more importantly is market share, which win10 is still significant.

For poorer markets like NZ it appears to be 50% ?
https://gs.statcounter.com/windows-version-market-share/desktop/new-zealand

The ex-lease systems that people have that they bought in last few years for example.
Robust business class system can have a very long life, when just used for everyday tasks.
A later RAM Upgrade on non-soldered in systems can speed things up etc.

For schools as well a robust business class ex lease laptop has plenty of hand me down life in it.
Much less an issue to replace (even shudder fix who does that ) if it has a rough day.

People may also have systems crap cleaned by a relative or friend some years back, and just want a setup that does a few things in familiar way such without getting in the way and any oddities stand out.

There is Linux though you need to get people familiar early while mind is flexible, and will schools accept a Linux system ?

Ai might be a bonus for Linux, as people can ask for and get instant friendly advice step by step instructions. Hallucinations aside ?

mattwnz

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#3359066 31-Mar-2025 14:46

xpd:

Yeah but then they're used/2nd hand, he said "new".

Its not first time I've come across someone in the media classed as a "expert/professional" and talked absolute BS. Its sending people the wrong message and now some of those people with 4 year old systems are now going to race out (if they can afford to) and buy yet another new system..... "Consumer said I wouldnt be able to use Windows".

when I read the article a few weeks ago I did wonder what the heck they were going on about, as any PC purchased in 2020 new should have a newer gen CPU. But guessing there are stores that had older stock or were selling PCs with older gen chips at that time. Today you can buy new CPUs that are generations old and they are cheaper as a result as not everyone needs a far CPU

i see in a consumer social media post that they want to see the date pushed out. But this is global so that will never happen just for NZ. Also they didn’t mention that you can buy extra support to continue using windows 10

fe31nz

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#3359285 31-Mar-2025 23:38

I can remember in the first year Windows 11 was available, there were heaps of PCs being sold with Windows 10 still, and when I looked at the specs of a lot of them, they were not Windows 11 compatible. I had to be careful buying the new motherboard I was getting for my Windows PC, as there were still quite a few that did not have a TPM, for example. And a lot of TPMs were v1. And I came across a listing for a PC on PB Tech a couple of weeks ago that was being sold with Windows 10 - maybe it was Window 11 compatible, but it was cheap so it may not have been. So I expect that there are plenty of systems out there that are fairly new but not Windows 11 compatible.

I would suspect that any system sold since Microsoft announced the end of Windows 10 support and that is not Windows 11 compatible and did not explicitly say that would not qualify as "durable" under the CGA.

SpartanVXL

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#3359369 1-Apr-2025 08:46

I think the only issue this time around is MS haven’t released windows 12. Much like how win10, win7 were available while vista and 8 were ignored when the eol for xp and 7 were done.

TwoSeven

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#3359545 1-Apr-2025 17:59

From my perspective, if one is looking from a business point of view, then one ideally would be synching the upgrade cycle with the depreciation cycle.

from a personal point of view, it can be a little bit more interesting because these days, things ain’t cheap and so there is a desire to hang on to things a little longer than expected.

I would point out though that Win 11 on the latest hardware with thunderbolt and usb-c devices (4k everything) and connectivity and the relatively late wifi/network is a much different experience than windows 10.

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mdav056

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#3359594 1-Apr-2025 22:18

You don't need (and I wouldn't touch) any apps that allow you to install Win 11 on an unsupported PC without TPM2. It really is quite straightforward -- see How to upgrade an unsupported computer to Windows 11 | Windows Central. I have updated my Win 10 Pro systems on both an old (and good) laptop, and a similar (and less good) old surface pro (with 4 gig of RAM!). Both are now running 24H2, but somewhat slowly on the surface pro as expected (about the speed I can handle!). Updates no problem. Fingers crossed!

gml

Oblivian

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#3359599 1-Apr-2025 23:03

If you mean where I referred to apps. They're doing the same as rufus. Modifying the (now unadvertised by MS) registry flags for you based on your selections. So setup.exe ignores the checks. rufus creates a pre configured offline/unattended file to do so with them.

Theres also all in ones that do similar via 'one click' and apply for the less confident who cant seem to follow a guide. Ala flyby11 mentioned in the link.

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