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Windows 10 End of Support
Windows 10 End of Support, October, 2025 Unless you have taken leave of the planet or are simply brain dead, you are aware that support for the Windows 10 operating system ended in October, 2025. The so-called "last Microsoft operating system" turned out to be less than that. Its replacement, Windows 11, has been around for several years, but failed to gain popularity with users, even provoked active dislike from some others. Many people are confused about what is happening and what to do, so we are attempting to address the issues and discuss solutions. What Does this Mean? Microsoft no longer supports Windows10 with security and other update,s, leaving you and your information vulnerable to hackers and other cyber thieves. So What Happens Now? Nothing, actually. Except for not receiving periodic updates, nothing will change. If you have an anti-virus program, it will continue to protect you. The built-in Windows 10 Security Application will continue to function. As time goes on, however, some of your applications may operate in unexpected ways when software upgrades are applied, become unstable, and may eventually quit working altogether. What Are My Options? Your "best" option is to upgrade to Windows 11 by downloading Windows 11 onto your present computer or to buy a new computer that runs Windows 11 if your present computer cannot support upgrading to Windows 11. The download is free for eligible users. Buying a new computer, of course, is not. If you decide to keep your present computer, but it is not capable of running Windows 11 or you are morally or ethically opposed to running Windows 11, you do have options, but they are limited. What Do I Need to Do Now? The first thing you need to do is determine if your existing computer is capable of upgrading to Windows 11. Use the Windows PC Health Check to determine that. Windows PC Health Check Go to Settings/Update & Security//Windows update or type "Windows update" in the Start search line . Go to Windows PC Health Check, shown below, to determine if your computer is Windows 11 compatible. If it is, go to the section on the Extended Security Updates program. If it is not, go to "What Are My Alternatives ...? ". The Extended Security Updates Program If you need more time before moving to Windows 11, the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program can protect your Windows 10 device for up to a year after October 14, 2025. It allows eligible users to continue receiving critical security updates for Windows 10 after the official support end date. For more information go to https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/whats-new/extended-security-updates Here is what Microsoft has to say about ESU. The following eligibility requirements apply: Devices must be running Windows 10, version 22H2. The latest Windows updates must be installed. The Microsoft account used must be an administrator account. The following options are available: Consumer Enrollment: Available for a one-time fee of $30 USD for one year. Free Enrollment: Available for users who sync their PC settings to the cloud or redeem Microsoft Rewards points. Commercial Pricing: Starts at $61 per device for the first year, doubling each subsequent year if you are eligible for free enrollment (available for users who sync their PC settings to the cloud), this window appears on your computer. After enrolling the following window appears. Your Windows Update screen now appears as follows. What Are the Advantages/Disadvantages of Windows 11? Windows 11 has been around for several years now, so it is stable and, being Windows, it has a lot of compatible applications. It is fully supported by Microsoft at this time. It has advanced hardware and software security features that make it less vulnerable to hacking and other cyber attacks. Some of the staple programs such as "Paint" and "Notepad" are improved in Windows 11. The user interface is upgraded. Opinions vary on whether or not this is a good thing. If AI assistants are your jam, Windows 11 has one: Co-Pilot. See Webmaster Rants at https://4starstories.com/web_master.htm for a review of Co-Pilot, the Office 365 AI assistant. New security and personal information gathering features are in place. Most are turned "off" by default in Windows 11 Pro, not "on" as was the case with Windows 10. Windows 11 Home is another story. What Are My Alternatives if My Present Computer Cannot Run Windows 11? If you decide not to buy a new computer, we recommend getting a used computer capable of upgrading to Windows 11. Used computers should be cheap compared to a new one. Don't be fooled into buying one that cannot be upgraded. Buy from a reputable source or run the Windows PC Health Check before purchasing it to be sure. If you decide to keep your old, non-Windows 11-compatible computer, you should consider switching to a Linux Operating System, or "distribution". The various Linux distributions, known as "flavors" are too numerous to go into here, but Linux "Mint, Cinnamon Edition" is regarded as being most similar to the Windows 10 graphical interface. Installing the Ubuntu-based Linux Operating System Most people decide to go with the Ubuntu-based distribution. It is stable, runs problem-free on most older computers, features a Windows-like graphical user interface, and has applications similar to those in Windows Office. (Note: We said similar, not identical) In general, the Linux equivalents of, for example,Word and Excel are not file compatible with their Microsoft counterparts. Here is the download page for the Ubuntu distribution. For the sake of completeness here is the download page for Linux Mint, Cinnamon Edition. Running Linux on Your Computer from a Bootable USB Drive Closely associated with Linux Operating Systems is the bootable USB drive. It is essential for "test driving" Linux and later installing it as a stand-alone or a dual-boot system with Windows 10. (Note: Do not install a Linux Operating System in a dual-drive setup with Windows 11. On installing updates to Windows 11, you may find your Linux OS system files deleted.) After you become comfortable with Linux, we recommend a single install with Linux, eliminating the Windows 10 OS altogether. Back up all your Windows 10 files before eliminating Windows! In order to generate a bootable USB drive you will need an empty USB drive (We recommend 16-32Gigbyte capacity.) and a program called Rufus. This program is available free from the Microsoft Store (where we got it) or from the Rufus website.https://rufus.ie/en/. The Rufus executable file appears in the Download file on your computer. Double click on the Rufus executable file to download. More information on booting into Linux Mint Cinnamon Edition from an external USB drive and the enhanced versions of Paint and Notepad in Windows 11 will appear in a future Webmaster's rant.

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