Folks. This is a great read about the coming death of Windows 10 by Microsoft and the epic environmental dump they will cause. The author of the below article has some suggestions for repurposing and on-going use of your W10 devices that many may benefit from.
SA
One of my old laptops still runs on Windows 7. No big deal if you don’t install malicious apps.
Running Windows 7 and front facing the internet, is, a big deal. Its no longer supported and full of exploits. Eventually one of those will get nailed without you even being aware of it. Upgrade if you can. Windows 10 runs most software that Windows 7 did.
SA
Hi SoulAsylum:
That 30-Nov-2024 Neowin article incorrectly states “For businesses that need more time to upgrade, Microsoft will establish the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program which provides one year of updates for $30”.
That $30 USD one-year ESU offer is for home consumers, not businesses, as noted in the official Microsoft support article posted 31-Oct-2024 at How to prepare for Windows 10 end of support by moving to Windows 11 today which states:
“Information on the purchase of Extended Security Updates (ESU) for organizations of all sizes as previously announced in April of this year and, for the first time, an ESU option for consumers, available for a one-year option for $30.”
The 01-Nov-2024 ghacks article Windows 10: Microsoft reveals ESU price tag for home users and a big catch confirms this $30 USD one-year ESU offer is for home consumers, and this is the option I will likely choose for my own Win 10 machine, even though it meets the minimum system requirements for Win 11.***
*** NOTE: I have a Pro edition of Win 10 and have blocked the upgrade to Win 11 in my Local Group Policy Editor (Computer Configuration | Administrative Templates | Windows Components | Windows Update | Windows Update for Business | Select the Target Feature Update Version) by setting my Target Release Version (TRV) to Windows 10 / 22H2 as instructed in Brink’s tutorial <here> in TenForums. If you have a Home (or Professional) edition of Windows 10 you can use GRC’s InControl tool to set your TRV and manage the timing of OS upgrades and/or version updates for your Windows OS.
Both TRV control methods work in Windows 11 as well (e.g., if you currently have Win 11 v23H2 OS and want to delay the Feature Update to v24H2 until some of the known issues in v24H2 have been fixed.
Dell Inspiron 15 5584 * 64-bit Win 10 Pro v22H2 build 19045.5247 * Firefox v133.0.3 * Microsoft Defender v4.18.24090.11-1.1.24090.11 * Malwarebytes Premium v5.2.4.157-1.0.5116 * Macrium Reflect Free v8.0.7783
Late seeing this but this is an eye opener. Thanks for posting. Am sending the link to my state legislators and governor. Washington prides itself (debatably) as being green. Let’s see if this gets their attention and moves reality toward the “green” claim.
I’ve had 24H2 force installed on two of my machines already with them being set not to do so in GP. Amazing how that happened right? Much like an Avast folder continues to reappear on my Norton installations of reverted 22.24.8.36. The suits are coming, unfortunately here in the US that will only be a farce waste if time. As Puzzler noted, the environmental issues are the biggest issue.
SA
At the risk of being repetitive, I caution people not to buy into the recycling myth. The efficacy of recycling to significantly avert environmental damage has been debunked for some time. Recycling makes people feel good, that they’re being a good environmental stewards, but it’s like putting bandaid on a gaping wound. Conservation is the key.
6 surprising facts from the UN’s 2024 electronic waste report
Global e-waste is growing 5 times faster than recyclingElectronic waste (e-waste) is the fastest growing waste stream in the world and includes anything with a plug or a battery.
Small IT equipment, mostly laptops and phones, produce 11 billion pounds of global e-waste
https://pirg.org/articles/6-surprising-facts-from-the-uns-2024-electronic-waste-report/