Windows 10 support ending in October, what to do?

[Roger]

Windows 10 support is ending this October, and you either cannot or don't want to upgrade to Windows 11, what can you do?

There is a solution:  you can switch to a Windows 10 Enterprise license, this will get you extended support until 2032 (updates, patches & so on). 

Windows 10 Enterprise CD Key | Buy cheap on Kinguin.net

 

[Tom]

Looks like an interesting solution Roger!

I also saw this article on tricking the old Windows 10 into allowing an upgrade to 11.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-upgrade-your-incompatible-windows-10-pc-to-windows-11-in-2025/

 

I am not that computer savvy to be able to determine what the best solution is. What do others think about these two options  (Enterprise vs hacking)?

 

Tom

[Roger]

On 4/5/2025 at 9:52 PM, Tom said:

Looks like an interesting solution Roger!

I also saw this article on tricking the old Windows 10 into allowing an upgrade to 11.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-upgrade-your-incompatible-windows-10-pc-to-windows-11-in-2025/

 

I am not that computer savvy to be able to determine what the best solution is. What do others think about these two options  (Enterprise vs hacking)?

 

Tom

Given the low cost of an Enterprise license via a retailer like Kinguin (can vouch for them, I've purchased several licenses via their store and never had a problem) I'd go with that before I would go with a "hack", but that is mainly because I have a low tolerance for that sort of thing these days.   If you enjoy that sort of tinkering, that might be more viable.  My point of view, though:   "ain't nobody got time for that!"  as the kids are saying these days. 

[Fuchur]

On 4/6/2025 at 4:52 AM, Tom said:

Looks like an interesting solution Roger!

I also saw this article on tricking the old Windows 10 into allowing an upgrade to 11.

https://www.zdnet.com/article/how-to-upgrade-your-incompatible-windows-10-pc-to-windows-11-in-2025/

 

I am not that computer savvy to be able to determine what the best solution is. What do others think about these two options  (Enterprise vs hacking)?

 

Tom

Win 11 is not all roses lets say it like that.

They got rid of certain features (for instance Mixed Reality VR support, etc.), inserted more ads, ruined some experiences and are all over the place with forcing you to login in online (much harder to keep an offline account on your pc now), buying their AI solution and so on.
So if the Kinguin.net solution is really a legal one and you are pretty certain it stays till 2032, not a bad idea to go that route.

Best regards
*Fuchur*

[robcat2075]

Your existing Windows 10 installation will keep working after they discontinue support.

The problem is the lack of support... no more bug fixes and security updates, although i think they intend to continue updating virus definitions after that date for at least a few years.

[Tom]

 I was curious whether Windows 1`0 Enterprise will still receive security updates after October 2025 and this is what the Internet said when I asked-

"Will Windows 10 Enterprise still receive security updates?":

Answer-

"No, Windows 10 Enterprise, along with all other Windows 10 editions, will no longer receive free updates after October 14, 2025. However, Microsoft offers Extended Security Updates (ESU) for a fee, allowing businesses to continue receiving security patches for a limited time beyond the end-of-support date"

 

If that is accurate, does it make sense to pay the $32 for Windows 10 Enterprise or just pay the annual $25 Windows 10 security fee?

Thoughts?

[Roger]

Let me double check that and get back to you, I was under the impression that the Enterprise edition was going to receive those updates without paying an additional fee. 

 

[Roger]

OK, so this was the video I initially referenced when I posted this, however after reviewing it again, I think I must have been mistaken.   Based on his comment near the end of the video and the misleading thumbnail, I assumed that Enterprise would be good on security updates until 2032.  

 

 

However, after going through the video yet again, there doesn't seem to be anything explicitly spelling out that you'll continue to get updates until 2032, and I can't confirm that anywhere else.  Also, everything else I have found on the web would seem to suggest that free updates are not available for Win 10 Enterprise, you have to pay for them via the Extended Support program. 

Now I have yet to confirm this, but I think what the situation may be is that if you are a Win 10 Home or Win 10 Pro user, you can pay for additional updates via the Extended Support for an additional full year, at which point you would need to upgrade to Win 11 or make some other decision regarding what you are going to do with your End of Life Win 10.   

I suspect that you'll have the option with Enterprise to continue paying for updates out to 2032, but I'm attempting to confirm that.   That seems likely, given that corporate users (Enterprise) tend to not migrate to a new OS without extensively testing it with their existing software first to see how they will be impacted.  

I'm not sure there is any good option if you just like Win 10 or are unable to upgrade to Win 11.  One option might be to host a Win 10 virtual machine on a non-Windows OS, but that brings its own problems (mainly, having to know 2 different OS types and their commands and quirks).   

 

[Roger]

Extended Support info:  Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10 | Microsoft Learn

 

[Roger]

Sorry for giving out bad info, @Tom --- at least we can avoid Windows 11 for another year via the extended support option.  

If anyone is interested in how to run Windows 10 in a virtual machine on another OS (like Linux or Mac OS), let me know.   I have done this before for work and can write up a tutorial.   I don't see any reason it wouldn't work for AM, but there is the added wrinkle of having to deal with another layer of abstraction. 

[Roger]

A better option might be to use a "debloating" tool in Windows 11.   I don't know to what extent you can remove some of the less appealing things, some of that stuff may be baked into Win 11, but I know at least with Windows 8 there were options to get rid of the Metro style interface, so it may be possible to strip it down to just the essentials. 

[Tom]

Thanks for the clarification Roger!    No problem at all as it can be very confusing...

Some people on the web seem to think Microsoft might change some of the hardware requirements so the upgrade to Windows 11 is easier for people to do from Windows 10. I upgraded my laptop from Windows 10 to Windows 11 easily the other day (when I at first thought it was unable to do so).

The transition is going to inconvenience so many people, maybe things will change a bit in the Windows 10 users favor come October....

[robcat2075]

I'm not necessarily against Windows 11 but my Cintiq will become just a generic monitor as there is no driver for it for Windows 11.

[Roger]

2 hours ago, robcat2075 said:

I'm not necessarily against Windows 11 but my Cintiq will become just a generic monitor as there is no driver for it for Windows 11.

Yeah, that sucks.  Is there Linux support for the Cintiq?   That might be one way around it.  

[Roger]

2 hours ago, Tom said:

Thanks for the clarification Roger!    No problem at all as it can be very confusing...

Some people on the web seem to think Microsoft might change some of the hardware requirements so the upgrade to Windows 11 is easier for people to do from Windows 10. I upgraded my laptop from Windows 10 to Windows 11 easily the other day (when I at first thought it was unable to do so).

The transition is going to inconvenience so many people, maybe things will change a bit in the Windows 10 users favor come October....

Tell me about it.  There is stuff in Win 10 that came with a recent update that is driving me batty, I can only imagine what Win 11 will bring.  

(Seems like every time I mouse to the wrong spot on the taskbar I end up activating weather and news)

[robcat2075]

1 hour ago, Roger said:

Yeah, that sucks.  Is there Linux support for the Cintiq?   That might be one way around it.  

Possibly, but having to go to Linux every time I want to use my pen is a non-starter, and i doubt many of the things i use a pen in have Linux versions.