How many obsolete computers after October

cheaterslick · Jul 13, 2025

cereberus said:
People will carry on using the obsolescent pcs - in fact they can never really become obsolete untill parts cannot be replaced.

Actually more software than anything. Think antivirus, browsers, 'optional' VPNs and other essential software that one would rely on, not being updated anymore.

Bree · Jul 13, 2025

cheaterslick said:
....you can still install 24H2 on unsupported hardware.

True.

cheaterslick said:
....You'll just have to manually go into the Microsoft Catalog and look for updates every month.

False.

An unsupported device running Windows 11 will get all the same updates through Windows Update as any supported device would, as here on my unsupported System Two. It has been running Windows 11 since October 2021 and has had every cumulative update delivered by Windows Update.

The only thing an unsupported device won't see in Windows Update is an offer of a Feature Update to the next version of Windows 11. For that you'd need to download the ISO and manually perform an in-place upgrade using an appropriate workaround.

A feature update that uses an enablement package is even easier, such as the 22H2 > 23H2 feature update. Just download and install the enablement package, no workaround needed. The next feature update, 24H2 > 25H2 will be done by enablement package.

KB5027397 Enablement Package for Windows 11 version 23H2 Feature Update

cheaterslick · Jul 13, 2025

Bree said:
False.

Then I stand corrected on that point. Thanks.

Bree said:
An unsupported device running Windows 11 will get all the same updates through Windows Update as any supported device would, as here on my unsupported System Two. It has been running Windows 11 since October 2021 and has had every cumulative update delivered by Windows Update.

I wouldn't rely on that.

And how long do you think that's going to last? Especially after October?

I think eventually it will then be a case of having to go to the Microsoft Catalog to manually update. Yeah, it's speculation but entirely plausible speculation given how fast Microsoft wants people off of what they deem obsolete hardware.

Silvio · Jul 13, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
I'm constantly amused with the "how low can you go" discussions. While I don't doubt you can run Windows 11 on some pretty slow and low obsolete hardware if so desired, the question you have to ask is: Is it worth it? Personally, I like my machine to be more responsive for all my applications.

I would agree, whatever software you are running, the machine needs to be responsive.

However, that doesn't mean, obligatory h/w refresh, when Microsoft demands it.

Being a "bang for buck", "Moore's law", type of h/w geek, that means I won't invest in expensive hardware, without definite return, as the "new" shiny will depreciate to 50% of value, within 2x years.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 13, 2025

Silvio said:
I would agree, whatever software you are running, the machine needs to be responsive.

However, that doesn't mean, obligatory h/w refresh, when Microsoft demands it.

Being a "bang for buck", "Moore's law", type of h/w geek, that means I won't invest in expensive hardware, without definite return, as the "new" shiny will depreciate to 50% of value, within 2x years.

Well... yes. If my machine was only a year or two old, I probably would not have invested in a new machine. However, since it was a 2016 model, it was a horse of a different color. My previous machine had gone from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1, then to Windows 10. It was tired of O/S version changes.

Marcus Vinicus · Jul 13, 2025

Bree said:
An unsupported device running Windows 11 will get all the same updates through Windows Update as any supported device would, as here on my unsupported System Two. It has been running Windows 11 since October 2021 and has had every cumulative update delivered by Windows Update.

What frequently kills old computers in this situation is a new feature is released in a version of Windows that requires an update to driver(s) that requires OEM's and PC component manufacturers to update the said drivers that doesn't work with some of their old devices.

Personally, I'd much rather have computers around me that are fast enough to handle modern software not use a PC that is like a Model T Ford.

Bree · Jul 13, 2025

cheaterslick said:
Then I stand corrected on that point. Thanks.

I wouldn't rely on that.

And how long do you think that's going to last? Especially after October?

I think eventually it will then be a case of having to go to the Microsoft Catalog to manually update. Yeah, it's speculation but entirely plausible speculation given how fast Microsoft wants people off of what they deem obsolete hardware.

That's why I installed 11 on my System Two, to see if, and for how long, it would get its updates. There was much speculation at the time 11 was launched. So far it hasn't missed an update. I have it multi-booting with Insider builds. It already runs 25H2 in the form of the Dev build, that too gets all its updates.

I don't think the situation is going to change any time soon. It's not obsolete hardware MS want to get everybody off, it's obsolete operating systems. MS want everyone on Windows 11 so they can cut the costs of providing support updates for older versions. I don't think they care that I'm running 11 on obsolete hardware - just as long as I'm running 11

At the end of 2022 Microsoft was actively supporting three different versions of Windows, Windows 8.1, 10, and 11. Come October they will be down to just the one OS to support.

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 13, 2025

Bree said:
At the end of 2022 Microsoft was actively supporting three different versions of Windows, Windows 8.1, 10, and 11. Come October they will be down to just the one OS to support.

Well... not really. They are already gearing up for extended support for Windows 10.

Marcus Vinicus · Jul 13, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
Well... not really. They are already gearing up for extended support for Windows 10.

That's correct. Extend Security Updates (ESU) will be available post 14 October 2025 but it's not free.

Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10

Learn about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10. The ESU program gives customers the option to receive security updates for Windows 10.

learn.microsoft.com

gunrunnerjohn · Jul 13, 2025

Marcus Vinicus said:
That's correct. Extend Security Updates (ESU) will be available post 14 October 2025 but it's not free.

Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10

Learn about the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for Windows 10. The ESU program gives customers the option to receive security updates for Windows 10.

learn.microsoft.com

Not free, but it still has to exist. Also, for corporate customers, I believe there's a three year extension in the works.

Helmuuth · Jul 13, 2025

Ive got nothing to worry about. My old pc that ran W10 was given away to charity. Yay!

Silvio · Jul 13, 2025

Marcus Vinicus said:
Personally, I'd much rather have computers around me that are fast enough to handle modern software not use a PC that is like a Model T Ford.

You have a point, but the performance of a PC running Windows 11, doesn't purely depend on age.

I recently dug out of storage, a PC I originally upgraded in 2019.

Dell Precision 5610, with Dual Xeon 2667 V2 3.4ghz, 128gb ram, SSD OS disk, 6x HDDs.
Intended for use as my Linux/Splunk lab, I wiped OS SSD, and put Win 11 24H2 on it first for BIOS/PCie card firmware upgrades, Fedora Linux 2nd.

The way this thing runs Win 11, have now decided, I'll keep it as it is, Booting Windows when I need Office 365/Teams/Citrix, Fedora Linux when I'm messing with Docker.

Marcus Vinicus · Jul 13, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
Not free, but it still has to exist. Also, for corporate customers, I believe there's a three year extension in the works.

True, for example in the corporate, academic and scientific research sectors computers running an older OS like Windows 10 may be carrying out a critical function and cannot easily be updated to Windows 11.

Bree · Jul 13, 2025

gunrunnerjohn said:
Well... not really. They are already gearing up for extended support for Windows 10.

Only for 3 years of ESU, and then only for security patches. There will be no more updates to windows features. As Windows 11 has more or less the same kernel as 10, then the security patches for 11 should be relatively straight forward to back port for 10.

cheaterslick · Jul 13, 2025

Marcus Vinicus said:
What frequently kills old computers in this situation is a new feature is released in a version of Windows that requires an update to driver(s) that requires OEM's and PC component manufacturers to update the said drivers that doesn't work with some of their old devices.

Personally, I'd much rather have computers around me that are fast enough to handle modern software not use a PC that is like a Model T Ford.

Which is why I typically buy mid to upper mid-range laptops when it's time to buy. I don't get the latest & greatest but I also don't get the cheapie-weapies, either.

Bree said:
That's why I installed 11 on my System Two, to see if, and for how long, it would get its updates. There was much speculation at the time 11 was launched. So far it hasn't missed an update. I have it multi-booting with Insider builds. It already runs 25H2 in the form of the Dev build, that too gets all its updates.

You & I may have one, but not everybody has a System Two they can experiment with. And so far, that's great. But again, I wouldn't rely on it.

Bree said:
I don't think the situation is going to change any time soon. It's not obsolete hardware MS want to get everybody off, it's obsolete operating systems. MS want everyone on Windows 11 so they can cut the costs of providing support updates for older versions. I don't think they care that I'm running 11 on obsolete hardware - just as long as I'm running 11

Oh I don't think MS is going to peep in and brick computers that aren't running on their current hardware standards, but I wouldn't expect to get security updates automatically sent to me indefinitely, either. MS can turn those off just as easily as they have with the Feature Updates. They will with Windows 10 (in October) and I believe they will with Windows 11 on unsupported hardware, too. That's violating their rules and there's nothing out there to say they can't or won't.

That's why I wouldn't rely on it.

Bree said:
At the end of 2022 Microsoft was actively supporting three different versions of Windows, Windows 8.1, 10, and 11. Come October they will be down to just the one OS to support.

That was then. This is now.

Personally, in this particular case, I do what Microsoft says and don't run Windows 11 on unsupported hardware. But that's just silly me, so...

With my two Windows 10 machines, I'll use ESR after October as long as I can and then retire them. Or turn them into Linux machines. This I think is a more plausible future scenario than hoping MS doesn't buckle down and turn auto updates off on unsupported hardware.

pseymour · Jul 13, 2025

I brought up a new Windows 7 VM a couple of days ago, and it received Windows updates. Not new updates of course, but they haven't turned WU off for that OS yet, and it's been at least a couple months since it went out of support. :)

antspants · Jul 14, 2025

Hazel123 said:
Students love laptops for college though

In Australia, primary school kids have to have at min, a tablet.
All high school students have to have a laptop. Mandatory.

If a family can not afford a laptop, they aren’t given one. They are offered a plan and asked to make payments even if they’re on a benefit. (Or they can agree to a garnished benefit income until paid off)

antspants · Jul 14, 2025

When my youngest was in high school, we had local drives all the time looking for laptop donations. I probably cleaned out 100 laptops in the 6 years he was in high school. The schools IT department would then load everything, OS and all, regardless of the laptop year/model. Very seldom could they not do it. Windows 10.

Scannerman · Jul 14, 2025

antspants said:
In Australia, primary school kids have to have at min, a tablet.
All high school students have to have a laptop. Mandatory.

If a family can not afford a laptop, they aren’t given one. They are offered a plan and asked to make payments even if they’re on a benefit. (Or they can agree to a garnished benefit income until paid off)

It's pretty much the same in Canada except the school won't allow personal laptops to be used for the curriculum. The schools use Chromebooks. This was a consequence of Covid where students had to stay at home until they received further notice. One good thing that came out of this was my girls really, really appreciate the laptops I got them as the school mandatory Chromebooks are horrendously slow and inefficient.

University is a different matter. The university where my daughter will be attending this year has specifications for laptops that are geared to the curriculum. This is why I just gave her my laptop and bought myself a cheapy.

Computer + Software Specifications | Faculty of Engineering

www.ualberta.ca

A Guy · Jul 14, 2025

cheaterslick said:
I tried getting a 25" Sony CRT (I bought it in 1993) fixed a few years back and the TV repair shop said they no longer make parts for it.

That was the end of that.

So yes, I HAD to change. Just one of the examples out there.

Well, I'll give you that, but that's different from it is working but you can't use it. The same is true of modern cars. Have a 2009 Challenger that is in prefect shape except it needs an ABS module...they aren't available. Thankfully some places are realizing how many Challengers were made and are rebuilding them. I see Toyota is making some parts again for a time at least

GR HERITAGE PARTS | GR | TOYOTA GAZOO Racing

General information of GR HERITAGE PARTS

toyotagazooracing.com

Nissan, Honda and Mazda are following suit. However, there needs to be a market. The market for a 1993 25" CRT was probably 1

A Guy

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