Cant upgrade to Windows 11? This Linux project wants to save your old PC from the scrapheap when Windows 10 support ends

Date:
Thu, 08 May 2025 12:44:49 +0000

Description:
Windows 10 runs out of support in October 2025, and you should already be thinking about your next move. Realistically, could that mean a shift to Linux?

FULL STORY ======================================================================Windows 10 runs out of support in October 2025 The new End of 10 project urges those who cant get Windows 11 to shift over to Linux instead A clear case is laid out for Linux on an environmentally-friendly basis, and other strengths such as avoiding Microsofts adverts and telemetry

Windows 10 is not far from its End of Life , when Microsoft pulls the plug
on support, and a new project has emerged pushing Linux as an alternative to upgrading to Windows 11.

The End of 10 initiative (as highlighted by Betanews ) is squarely aimed at those with older PCs that dont meet the system requirements for Windows 11 , which are more stringent than Windows 10.

Devices which date back a while can easily be ruled out on the grounds of the processor being too old, or the TPM 2.0 security feature not being present (those are the two most common stumbling blocks).

The main thrust of 'End of 10' is offering an alternative to one of
Microsofts commonly aired suggestions for those whose Windows 10 PC doesnt qualify for Windows 11, which is to simply buy a new computer . The project argues that you can make your older PC fast and secure again simply by switching to Linux.

Linux is a platform of multiple operating systems known informally as
distros built around the same core, but offering lots of (substantially) different variations. This project isnt pushing any specific Linux distro;
its just presenting the case that using any of them could be a viable way to keep your Windows 10 PC going if you cant get Windows 11.

That case to keep any relatively old from 2010 onwards computer alive with Linux is built around a few key aspects.

Firstly, a core pillar here is the positive benefit for the environment. As the project website makes clear: Production of a computer accounts for 75+%
of carbon emissions over its lifecycle. Keeping a functioning device longer
is a hugely effective way to reduce emissions.

Secondly, we come to the argument that Linux has no adverts or spyware, in contrast to Microsofts promotional pushes that weve witnessed more regularly in Windows 11 of late. As for the spyware comment, thats a dig at Microsofts telemetry the data on Windows 11 users that it pipes back to its servers.

The project also makes the case that theres a higher level of user control with Linux, as in you arent pushed to, say, upgrade to Windows 11 under
threat of a deadline that pulls security updates out from under your feet if you don't.

Linux is free, and the associated updates will remain free going forward. (Well, assuming your distro doesnt dwindle and die, which is why its a good idea to pick one of the big names out of the best Linux distros ).

What people might fear with Linux is that its a big change, and a leap into the unknown (assuming youve never used one of the distros before, and most people wont have).

If youve been running Windows 10 for the past decade, or much of it, youre pretty familiar with the OS, naturally, and Windows 11 isnt much different. Theres no real learning curve there, and much of what is more radically altered is hidden under the bonnet of Windows 11.

Linux, though well its a whole different way of working (and playing if
youre into games). Questions running through the minds of would-be Linux defectors may include "How do I install a Linux distro and what if it goes wrong?"; "Can I use my software on it?"; and "Can I play all my games?"

This is where the project argues that community support via online forums is key, or indeed via local computer shops or repair cafes, and they may often help you for free in the latter case, were told.

The End of 10 project has a diverse collection of Linux enthusiasts behind
it, and that includes folks whove worked on KDE and Gnome (which are desktop environments for Linux), as well as a representative from the Free Software Foundation Europe. (Image credit: Microsoft) Analysis: how realistic is this advice on migrating to Linux?

As noted, shifting over to Linux is a big move, and we're not that sure youll get help for free outside of online forums, as is part of the thrust of the sales pitch here. I know people cant easily get that sort of help in the UK, where Im based, but a lot of the project seems to have its roots in other European countries, where the repair cafe culture is apparently quite different.

That said, theres no doubting that the help youll get from enthusiasts on Linux forums will be plentiful. Its a community that goes out of its way in this respect truly and this project itself shines a light on the extra
miles Linux aficionados will go in terms of trying to spread the good word about the OS and its various distros.

I cant, however, argue that for older PCs, which cant have Windows 11 installed for hardware-related reasons where even an upgrade isnt feasible, due to the fact that youd be pretty much replacing the entire guts of the computer Linux should be a consideration to keep older hardware alive.

That looming scrapheap of PCs that weve been repeatedly warned about could become a very real and literal blot on the landscape, which is a serious problem that Microsoft has failed to meaningfully address.

Calls to buy a new PC are hardly helping. And paying for Windows 10 support for another year , through to October 2026, is only kicking the can further down the road for consumers.

As to whether the less tech-savvy folks out there can realistically make this leap to Linux, sadly, Im not sure. This isnt just about the initial move installing the Linux distro, and getting used to a different interface and desktop (plumping for a Windows-like distro will help, by the way) but the realities as newcomers acclimatize to the world of Linux.

Those could range from hardware driver problems to your software not being compatible with Linux, and in particular thorny issues with games, such as anti-cheat systems chucking wrenches in the works . So, with online games (that invariably have anti-cheat), that can be a particular bugbear.

In some ways, this boils down to how much of an investment youve made in the Windows ecosystem how many apps youve bought that arent going to play nice with Linux and how much of a gamer you are, because Linux still isnt ideal
in that sphere.

That said, big strides have been taken in the latter respect, and if youre
not fussed about online gaming, it could be worth thinking about giving Linux a spin, as long as youre not averse to having to do a bit more in the way of tinkering with your OS, and research online.

For many everyday users who are less tech-savvy, though, the hard reality of Linux is that itll still likely be too much of an uncomfortably steep incline to manage. You might also like... Been hiding from Windows 11 24H2 due to the fuss about all the bugs? Theres nowhere to run now as Microsofts made the update compulsory Microsoft looks to be making a big change to how you
install and log in to Windows 11 and Im not happy about it at all Windows 11 fully streamlined in just two clicks? Talon utility promises to rip all the bloatware out of Microsofts OS in a hassle-free way



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/windows/cant-upgrade-to-windows-11-this-li nux-project-wants-to-save-your-old-pc-from-the-scrapheap-when-windows-10-suppo rt-ends


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