Do you remember Windows XP?
You probably thought it would last forever but Microsoft called *time* on this operating system in April 2014. Apparently, there are still some tenacious XP users out there (including in governmental departments) but the majority ventured onto something new.
Some of Microsoft’s offerings have been less successful than others: remember Vista and Windows 8, anyone?
Windows 10 has proved to be acceptable, with users either purchasing brand new computers to use it or upgrading from Windows 8. Windows 10 users seem content overall with their setups, so much so that a large number have not made the transition to Windows 11 when it was released and, indeed, continued to purchase Windows 10 machines.
Well, if you are a fan of Windows 10, I have bad news for you. It, too, will reach the end of its life in October 2025. This means that updates and security patches will no longer be provided (unless you are prepared to pay a premium); in essence, you will need a new operating system. At least you cannot complain that you got little warning this time!
The obvious answer is to upgrade to Windows 11.
Sadly, not all Windows 10 PCs are created equal. There’s a minimum computer specification requirement to allow Windows 11 to run at all, and ideally you would benefit from a higher RAM memory amount to allow it to operate smoothly.
Microsoft give the minimum requirements as:
In our experience, you will be struggling with computer performance if you have anything less than 8GB RAM and we recommend 16GB RAM if your PC allows for this.
If you are on Windows 10, what should you do?
Firstly, you need to check whether your computer is suitable for Windows 11. That way you will know if you even have the option to upgrade. If you don’t know where to look for this information, your friendly IT advisers (Computer Troubleshooters) can investigate for you. If you are a service plan customer, we are already on the case.
Armed with this information, you will be able to make a decision: upgrade or replace. If you are buying new kit, make sure it is future proofed. It should be powerful enough to cope with possible developments in computing as well as your current processing needs.
Don’t procrastinate; make a plan now rather than leaving it to join the stampede for new kit in September 2025. Who knows, you could be facing the same shortages experienced in the dash to set up laptops to work from home in March 2020 when lockdown was imposed.
Farewell Windows 10: so long and thanks for all the fish*.
If you have been affected by this news, make sure to call your IT advisers to find out about your options.
PS*: If you are wondering why this expression is familiar, it’s the title of Douglas Adams’ 6th book in the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy *trilogy*. It’s the parting comment from the dolphins as they leave planet Earth.
