Windows 10 is reaching “end of life” - let’s mobilise!

[neil]

@Clare_Seek

if it would be good to explain why Linux is the option of choice, when in an earlier paragraph you mention it’s one option, alongside others? (As I’ve read further I see that you do explain a bit about why Linux…maybe a hyperlink to that, or (we’ll explain why Linux further down this page) in this initial part?)

Thankyou, agree with this. I think generally need to address overall the slight conflict between a Restart-y preference for Linux as a concept and then saying that it’s important to work with the owner of the computer as to what is best for them.

@Clare_Seek

And to the uninitiated, I think it’s worth a little section on what changing your operating system actually means.

That makes sense - it’s quite a big deal so shouldn’t be taken lightly. Noting that Win 10 → Win 11 on a new machine should be included in that, too. It has potential to get quite large as a section so maybe a nod to it and then a reference to discussion on that elsewhere (if we can find (/make) one).

@Clare_Seek

How quickly do people need to address the issue of their W10 not being supported anymore?

Great point. Something along the lines of ‘while Windows 10 computers will continue to work as usual on October 14th, they will become less and less secure over time’… Also perhaps worth noting to expect an uptick of people visiting with this problem as they get more nag screens about it, it becomes more public knowledge, etc.

@Clare_Seek

Running dedicated parties section…the Linux links open on top of the page, rather than in a new window, and to the untrained eye/brain they do look more terrifying, and not necessarily that current.

Agreed yep, this needs a bit of a tweak, perhaps just some expectation management about what those links will give you.

@Clare_Seek

wonder if symbolic might be more accessible

Thanks, hadn’t considered that, happy to change it.

@Clare_Seek

Other question rumbling round my non-tech head…if I switch to Linux do I have to do some kind of installing going forward to keep it up-to-date, or does it do it all for you? Any ongoing maintenance required for example, that a non-techy person could and would get round to doing.

Good questions. It does need updating over time. I think that would fall into the ‘how to use Linux’ aspect of volunteers giving support.

[neil]

@Stephen_Smith

Backups. Its great that you’ve called this out in a separate section. I think this is something we may need to provide much more guidance and help on. It’s probably not the sort of thing a novice would be confident about starting, and even more so that they’d got it right. I suspect it may become one of the biggest blockers to many people moving operating system.

Thanks, very good point. I was conscious of that section missing a ‘Further resources’ box!

I think a great start for a ‘further resource’ to link to would simply be a discussion topic about it on this forum in this ‘Windows 10 End of Life’ category.

Would you be willing to start one @Stephen_Smith ? In line with your bullet points above. Essentially from the perspective of: as a volunteer fixer helping people with backing up prior to a operating system migration, what might you need to know to help them?

I think @Monique makes a great point in her Windows to Linux document around avoiding doing the actual backups ourselves where we can. I’ve done it before at my repair cafe and it was time consuming and somewhat awkward going through someone’s folders with them asking which ones they wanted to keep. We can perhaps find resources for end users that will help them to do it, in addition to the advice we give.

[Lawrence_Hassall]

@neil

Noting that Win 10 → Win 11 on a new machine should be included in that, too

By “new” do you mean used or refurb machines? Desktops/Laptops with official support can be had as low as £100 (although typically 6/7 years old at that price). Bought from a reputable seller with 11 already installed and some sort of warranty will likely be £200+.

@Clare_Seek

Other question rumbling round my non-tech head…if I switch to Linux do I have to do some kind of installing going forward to keep it up-to-date, or does it do it all for you?

Often overlooked, Linux support & update cycles are a minefield and you can end up being prompted to apply dozens of software updates every day (rolling update model) or major OS updates every 6 months. Mint and Zorin are good in this regard as they only do major OS updates every 2 years and minor ones every 6 months.

[neil]

@Lawrence_Hassall

By “new” do you mean used or refurb machines? Desktops/Laptops with official support can be had as low as £100 (although typically 6/7 years old at that price). Bought from a reputable seller with 11 already installed and some sort of warranty will likely be £200+.

Thanks for picking up on that - I just mean ‘new’ as in new to the person. And for sure if we were recommending a machine to someone, we’d recommend 2nd hand or refurbed. The point I meant to make was that if one is moving from Win 10 to Win 11, not on your existing machine, there will be some process of making sure that your data is backed up on your old machine and restored to your ‘new’ machine; making sure you have the programs installed that you’re used to (migrating licenses?); etc. I don’t use Windows so someone else will know better what moving from Win 10 to Win 11 on a ‘new’ machine is like!

[Dave]

@neil

don’t use Windows so someone else will know better what moving from Win 10 to Win 11 on a ‘new’ machine is like!

Good point: are there any Restarters with Win10/11 expertise? Definitely not me

[Karl]

I’m against moving, or upgrading versions, and long term it has always ended badly, because windows may use your old drivers for some devices in the new installation for backward compatibility.

The problem when it goes wrong, and you start from anew, you won’t install the old os again, add the drivers, then upgrade again to new one. Most just put on the new version, then find thing don’t work

If you do pull bare metal backups, you will have no problems, but people rarely do.

[Joslet_Nicolas]

I am quite surprised by this observation because, from experience, even on fresh installations, I have never encountered this type of issue recurrently. In reality, since hardware generations after 2015, most components are generically supported and directly integrated into modern kernels, whether for Windows or Linux distributions.

For example, Microsoft has significantly expanded its generic driver base in Windows 10 and 11, natively including support for many chipsets, SATA controllers, network cards, and even some graphics cards. It is true that for very specific or older components (before 2010-2012), there can be some gaps, but these are exceptions. In general, Windows Update handles retrieving missing drivers during installation, and cases where hardware remains unrecognized have become rare.

Regarding the argument about “old drivers used for backward compatibility,” this mostly depends on the option chosen during installation. If an upgrade is performed (in-place upgrade), Windows indeed keeps the old drivers. But during a clean installation, only the generic and latest available drivers are installed. Unless using an outdated or non-updated installation disk, this issue should not arise.

Finally, the idea of having to “reinstall the old OS, add the drivers, and then migrate” seems particularly heavy and unnecessary to me. Even in the worst-case scenario, it’s often faster to search for the missing drivers directly on the manufacturer’s site rather than going back to an old OS. For critical components, a simple “bare metal backup” (complete disk image) would indeed suffice, although it is true that few people do this.

In conclusion, with post-2015 hardware, modern kernels and generic Windows drivers support the vast majority of hardware configurations. Issues related to old drivers are mostly seen with particularly exotic hardware or incomplete installations. A clean and up-to-date installation generally resolves these problems.

We need to stop demonizing Windows just to push a Linux agenda. Both operating systems have their strengths and weaknesses, and it’s counterproductive to force one over the other without considering the actual use case.

Windows has made significant progress in terms of driver support, stability, and security in recent years, especially with Windows 10 and 11. It handles hardware compatibility out of the box for most devices manufactured after 2015, and its update mechanisms have improved considerably. Meanwhile, Linux is exceptional for customization, resource efficiency, and revitalizing older hardware, but it also has its own share of challenges, especially in terms of proprietary drivers and compatibility with specialized software.

Instead of pushing one OS as the ultimate solution, the focus should be on choosing the right tool for the right job. For many users, Windows remains the best choice for software compatibility and ease of use, while Linux shines in server environments, development, and lightweight installations for older PCs. A balanced view is much more constructive than blind allegiance to one side.

[Karl]

I have to say it was a good number of years ago. My friend bought the Lidl (could be Aldi) Medion brand, specially spec’d for the store. Everything came pre-installed, and no CDs, it was updated from 7 to 8 and it worked well - until it crashed.

My previous laptop with a separate built in graphics processor worked extremely well, till MS stopped supporting that chip.

There will be others in a similar situation. Even some Linux versions no longer support x32, but that is different from no supporting video chips, or must have v2 TPM. In terms of PC software support, widows wins hands down due to resources surrounding it.

[Joyce_6512]

Windows is de facto provided with the computers sold in stores (I am not talking about the refurbishing stores here, though most of them also provide Windows by default, as it is what most people are used to and ask for, ant the licences are.often bundled with the computer).
So they’d better be able to provide what.is needed to run all features the said computers come with.
Large audiance Linux distributions on the other hand are not always fully ready for the most recent computers, but kernels versions in the hwe - hardware enablemnt - do a lot to balance that.

[Karl]

Personally, out of the 100+ versions of Linux, I believe we all should narrow this down to just 4 types : high spec x64, low spec x64, high spec x32, and low spec x32.

The crowd has a better overview than myself, so I am not championing Linux flavour, but feel there should be 4, possibly 5 at a stretch for those over 15 years for something like puppy or Bohdi Linux linux etc.

[Joslet_Nicolas]

It’s already in progress and to be honest, it’s quite well defined in our minds. Our initial tests, combined with the experiences we’ve shared so far, are already giving us a solid head start on any future brainstorming around this topic.

No worries, once everything’s been finalised, you’ll get first dibs on the results of all the work we’ve done, haha!