End of Windows 10. Upgrade to Windows 11?

Joe · May 24, 2025, 6:33pm

As you probably already know, Microsoft has announced that it will end support for Windows 10 in October 2025.

After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11."

While this sounds tempting, it isn’t.

First, Windows 11 requires more resources than Windows 10. For example, Windows 11 requires at least 4 GB of RAM (2 GB more than Windows 10). This means your current PC may suddenly no longer be suitable for Windows 11 (click HERE for more information about Windows Memory Management).

Second, this MS website states:

Important:
The upgrade to Windows 11 is free from Microsoft. However, the Windows 11 upgrade download is large in size. Internet providers might charge fees for large downloads that occur over metered connections.
To upgrade to Windows 11, devices must meet the Windows 11 minimum system requirements. Some Windows 10 features aren’t available in Windows 11. For more information, see Find Windows 11 specs, features, and computer requirements.

If your operating system is Windows 10, like my 9-year-old Acer Aspire E 15, you’ll encounter Microsoft’s limitation, which claims that upgrades from Windows 10 to Windows 11 are free. No, it’s not free, because that doesn’t work. Either my old PC is too old, or Microsoft is simply lying and forcing you to buy Windows 11 for a three-digit dollar $ amount.

What should you do? You have three options:

Switch to Linux or macOS and freeze Windows 10.
Upgrade your PC hardware and Pay the Win-11 fee.
Buy a new computer with Windows 11 pre-installed.

If I were you, I’d choose option 1 and install Linux on my PC. There are many free Linux operating systems available, and it’s not advisable to install Linux x just because someone said Linux X is better than Linux Y.

Your Linux selection should be based on the world’s most widely installed Linux systems to ensure a large user community that can help you with any problems or questions, as well as the availability of free tools and apps. Two Linux operating systems come to mind: Ubuntu and Red Hat, which offer a large user base and numerous free tools/apps.

Ubuntu is more for home users, while Red Hat is more for businesses.

csdl · May 21, 2025, 1:28pm

One thing I don’t like about Microsoft SQL Server is because it’s (mostly) running on Windows Server. But It doesn’t mean I want to replace Windows 10 by Ubuntu

Linux for Server and Linux for Desktop are two difference stories. Ubuntu is NOT “light” as its myth and LibreOffice or whatever kinds of Office is just not Microsoft Office.

Just read an article on BBC few days ago. Some systems still using very old version of windows, even Windows 3.11.

nguy4nkjn · May 21, 2025, 2:18pm

Honestly unless you have some piece of software that absolutely requires Windows 11 (which I guess is pretty rare outside of their AI craps), there is no need to upgrade the OS to the latest version. You don’t need to follow the upgrade trend and you should be comfortable with what you have :DDDD

Joe · May 21, 2025, 3:24pm

@csdl and @nguy4nkjn
I agree with both of you. I am not and never have been a Windows fan. I worked with MS-DOS, then Windows NT, then Windows Vista, and finally Windows 10 because my customers had Microsoft OS on their PCs as workstations.
Windows was and is never my favorite operating system, but more or less an operating system I had to endure because, as mentioned, my customers were all Windows slaves, and I had to know how Windows works.

SunOS (or BSD Unix) and AT&T UNIX were my work operating systems when I was still an active developer.

I’m talking about Windows 10/11 because many DNH members have or want to install Windows 11. So I’d like to know what they think about it and what they plan to do.

Regarding free apps and tools in Linux, the Yankees used to say, " No such thing as a free lunch." In plain English: Nothing is free. Free software is either your favorite or your hate because you didn’t have to pay for it.