By Martin Jansen, Owner of Jansen-PCINFO
This will be my last article about Windows 10. On October 14, 2025 Microsoft will stop supporting the old operating system. According to statcounter Microsoft Windows 11 is just barely surpassing Windows 10 users this late in the game, but many have stopped using Windows altogether.
Really, today there is no reason to stick with Microsoft. The Windows 11 user experience is different from Windows 10 and Microsoft is putting advertising for all their products in the operating system making it annoying to use. And, while you can install Google Chrome, Microsoft is actively pushing Edge on their users with every update.
Alternatives
There are many alternatives to Windows 11. Android is the most popular OS for tablets and phones created and promoted by Google. Google has also supplied many with their ChromeOS that is popular in school and home use. Apple has macOS for their desktops and iOS for their tablets and phones. And then we have the many distributions and variations of Linux. Ubuntu is the market leader, but there are many others based on Ubuntu, including my favorite: Linux Mint.
My fear is that many good computers will be recycled because Microsoft has arbitrarily decided that they are not good enough for Windows 11. In order to run Windows 11 Microsoft says the computers must have a TPM 2.0 security chip and enforces their rule by stopping the install when a TPM chip is not detected. There are work arounds by editing the registry currently, but no guarantees these will work long term.
How Old is Too Old?
Some computers really should be recycled, but how does one tell for sure? The answer lies in the little badges that Microsoft makes for computers. If the computer has a Windows XP or Windows 98 badge it is too old to work with modern operating systems and should be recycled. However, if the computer has a Windows 8 or newer badge, it is most likely salvageable and can run alternative operating systems. Many of these systems will benefit from upgrades in RAM and Solid State drives and will work for many years to come.
Jansen-PCINFO can assist with determining whether a computer can be saved. Just give us a call at 920-716-4384 for a free evaluation.
Conclusion
Microsoft is ceasing support for Windows 10 on October 14 of this year, but this does not mean that good working computers need to be recycled. There are plenty of secure alternatives to Windows that work just as well if not better. Give Jansen-PCINFO a call to evaluate your old computer.