Microsoft's draconian Windows 11 restrictions will send an estimated 240 million PCs to the landfill when Windows 10 hits end of life in 2025

No it won't.

240 million grandmas, cheapskate businesses, and cash-strapped public schools will continue to use whatever operating system their computers already have, forever, until they break, security implications be damned.

I'm seriously thinking of trying Linux when Windows 11 is forced. My computer has the specs to run it, but I'm just tired of Windows and Microsoft.

Yes, because normal people always throw PCs away when they stop getting security updates.

That’s a lot of new Linux computers.

Once upon a time, updating your hardware every couple of years was essential. Your new hardware was a lot faster for normal use, and everyone benefitted.

Over time, however, people could wait longer between updates, as new hardware didn't impact daily use all that much.

The powers that were grew displeased, and then decided to force people to update more often. Newer hardware had shorter lifespans, software forced newer hardware, software as a service became king.

The End?

Well you see, they learned their lesson from Windows 7 and having to support it for years longer than they intended to.

They know the same thing will happen for 10, because they are literally forcing a bunch of hardware out, even though all of it can technically run Windows 11 and just don't have a TPM 2.0 chip. They made this choice, this was a business decision and they know it's coming.

So what did they learn? To not give it away for free. Now they're rolling out a program to charge consumers for access to extended updates for Windows 10.[^1]

Back in the Windows 7 days, they only did that for corporations, extended updates with a cost attached. Now you, the consumer, get the joy of paying for these updates as well.

Not only are they purposefully creating trash, they're also squeezing people for money in the process.

They're doing exactly what they did with Windows 7, this time they just plan to charge you for the convenience.

Stay classy, Microsoft.

[^1]: "Individuals or organizations who elect to continue using Windows 10 after support ends on October 14, 2025, will have the option of enrolling their PCs into a paid ESU subscription."

I installed linux. I only use browser and vlc and it works great. I am not buying a new machine when old one works just fine.

Again, Install Linux, get rid of Microsoft shit.

For us Linux users it's just a fire sale. Diet cheap PCs incoming.

None of these PCs need to go to landfill. Linux

Sounds to me like an opportunity for Linux and Linux derivatives.

Windows 11 can suck my stinky cock. Windows will successfully force my LAZY ass to Linux. I am already testing the waters with my laptop.

Hello, it's me, a landfill

Those systems are going to be dirt cheap Linux boxes in the very near future

Or at least a couple will be for me

Or folks will just continue to use 10.

Cool, a prime opportunity to scalp even more old machines by the end of the decade once they become valuable.

I've been saying for years I was going to move back over to Linux. This will be the push I need. Sadly my Dad is bad at computers and will need Windows 11 when using 10 becomes a problem. I'm throwing this at my brother since I was the one who got our Dad a Windows 10 computer. FU Microsoft, you peaked at XP.

Linux about to pop off

yay i can finally get a good laptop on ebay in 2025! 😹

The only people that will really suffer from this is businesses. They will have to buy W11, and they will need to get supported hardware. However, businesses usually have rolling upgrades in place in the IT and have probably rolled out many already.

As for home users, with each newer generation, they become more tech savy. I can tell you now, this won't affect as many people as you imagine.

• 1: W11 is free to download from M$. You can choose whether or not to buy a licence. W11 cracks already exist, M$ is still using key management services, so something like KMSpico still work. There are also tons of activator scripts on github (lol, since M$ owns this!).
• 2: Grab a copy of RUFUS. Use it to take the W11 image and remove all restrictions, and dump it to USB.
• 3: ???
• 4: Profit.

A fraction of those "old" computers will use Linux. Perhaps we'll reach 5% desktop market share soon thanks to Microsoft.

"Windows 7 appears to still be running on at least 100 million machines, despite Microsoft ending support for the operating system a year ago"

--Tom Warren. Jan 6, 2021.

https://www.theverge.com/2021/1/6/22217052/microsoft-windows-7-109-million-pcs-usage-stats-analytics

Maybe the landfill won't be overstuffed as quickly as expected.

See also

"Monthly market share held by Windows operating system for desktop PCs worldwide from January 2017 to November 2023, by version" https://www.statista.com/statistics/993868/worldwide-windows-operating-system-market-share/

It's a dwindling effect, not just instant abandonment.

More people will switch to Linux once and for all.

The great LINUX uprising of 2025!!!

Meanwhile Apple does this every few years and nobody cares.

Launching Windows 11 in the midst of a semiconductor shortage was such a dumb move on Microsoft's part, especially when 11 doesn't really offer that much more than 10. The only real 'groundbreaking' new feature (multiple desktops) was something that Linux had fifteen years ago.

This is such an old article at this point. PCs don't get sent to the landfill because the OS isn't supported anymore. That's idiotic.

I'm getting super tired of Microsofts OS as a service. There is absolutely no reason to make operating systems obsolete.

So 2025 will finally be the year of the Linux desktop?

I built a new PC last year and bought a copy of Windows 11. Holy moly the login process required so much bullshit that I skipped through. It also every few days tries to get me to go through it again. After learning about all the Spyware and other bullshit I decided to just take the plunge back into using Linux as a main OS.

This isn't a problem if you're still using Windows 7! ;-)

Reject Windows, emabrace Linux and FOSS Software

Why would you send 240 million PCs to the landfill when you can install Linux on all of them?

It's beating a dead horse, but there are plenty of user-friendly Linux versions out there that will run just fine on most computers that ran Windows.

Fuck microsoft, on the bright side thing of all the cheap 2nd hand hardware

Wine + proton/valve has made it very easy to run most anything windows related nowadays. I would expect this to help make Linux gain market share.

I'm still on the fence if gaining market share is a good thing ultimately, but I'm hoping to see it play out.

Microsoft doing its* part

I'm pretty sure Microsoft's intent is to drop these non-paying non subscribing customers and let them use Linux. Microsoft is 100% focused on promoting Azure consumption, Microsoft 365 and Microsoft Enterprise Agreement customers and not delivering operating systems for people who won't pay monthly.

I feel like MS could avoid everyone’s gripes by simply not charging for their security update program. 7 to 13+ years is going to more than cover when most people would’ve upgraded anyway.

I wonder how long it will be until Windows is a subscription based desktop?

Let's not mention the extended update service that people can buy for three years and that will make the oldest incompatible CPU 10 years old at that point...

Or the fact that people don't even realize or care that they don't get updates anymore...

Gotta get my finances in order by then so I can buy all the "obsolete" computers I want

By looking at data from statcounter, both windows 7 and xp had dropped support when they were at around 3% and 0,5% of global usage, respectively. This time, Microsoft plans to drop support for windows 10 next year, but it's still on 67% of usage. Either I'm missing something here, or they're going a very weird route...

Go ahead. Drop support for Windows 10. I stopped your mandatory updates months ago.

You cannot hurt me any longer.

FWIW W10 Enterprise LTSC is good until 2032

Good thing there a myriad of other Linux distros that run everything 90% of home users need.

My father in law has Windows 7 machines that he uses for scientific work that he refuses to update. His solution is to prevent them from connecting to the internet. Unfortunately not willing to try modern Linux.

just use linux instead.

why are people allergic to windows linux?

People will just continue to use their old ones with Win 10. "This computer does what I need it to".

What could possibly go wrong with millions of people using an out of service OS with no security patches?

Yes. But to be fair they would have ended up there anyway.

My PC isn't Windows 11 ready. That's why I bought a raspberry pi, and am running android now. If I feel like resurrecting the old machine, I'll run LMDE or something.

So far, I haven't detected any negative consequences.

So does anyone have a good strategy for transferring non giant things? Like I have a ton of unorganized pictures, documents, videos dating back to my 2009 1TB HDD that still works.

I think I want to run Debian mostly because I don't know any other build well. Well RHEL, but I want to keep it similar to the Steam Deck as I can

Note to self: sell laptop on Facebook marketplace in September 2025

At least it'll do wonders for the used market, hopefully.

This is why I switched over to Mac back in 2022. I knew that I didn't want to move forward with Windows but had to get a new computer anyways. I already have an iPhone and a Mac Mini M1 was only $700. Thanks Microsoft for forcing a Windows user of 30 years away from your OS.

Ah, the WIntel cartel is at it again. Planned obsolescence.

I installed Tiny11 on my ancient potato of a laptop to extend its life without having to do without the easy compatibility of Windows OR deal with the bloat and other bullshit Microsoft forces on you.

So far it's accomplished all of that admirably while being as lightweight and stable as Lubuntu, the Linux distro I had it running before!

Btw, this might be relevant to your interests as well and though it might sound like it, none of the things mentioned and linked in this comment are in any way illegal 😁

I see a lot of people deny articles about "e-waste" calling them clickbait headlines and such. While I do agree there is a clickbait problem, I have to take it into consideration when I'm witnessing the company I work for right now tossing all the office computers in a pile to smash the hard drive. They just got all new computers a year and a half ago, and these are pretty good for an office workhorse. I thought it might be because of some weird HP contract or something, so I asked. But no, turns out some of them can't upgrade to 11, and they must all go in the dumpster. "HP won't take them back and it's easier to just get all new ones." I've heard similar reports from other companies in the area.

Again I do agree there is a clickbait problem, but I think we need to realize that Microsoft and companies like HP know exactly what they are doing to keep the money flowing in.

Isn't this the same company that toyed with Xbox One power settings to "help offset carbon emissions"?

This seems like a non-event. I believe the only real difference is a TPM, but it looks like Microsoft has been requiring that since 2016. So by Windows 10 EOL, PCs without that will be 9 years old. Sure, they still have some use as Linux servers, like a Raspberry Pi does, but come on: 9 years?

TPM required since 2016

since July 2016 Microsoft has actually required TPM 2.0 support on all new PCs that run any version of Windows 10 for desktop (Home, Pro, Enterprise, or Education)

I'm not defending Microsoft here but, the problem in this case isn't Microsoft, there's no reason a person can't educate themselves enough to move away from Windows. If you have access to a PC, you more than likely have access to the internet and there's no shortage of information online.

Yes what Microsoft is doing is negligent. But the consumer can't be completely blameless.

Realistically, how many consumers still use PCs? All my friends and coworkers seem to use their phones and tablets for everything now. They all still have laptops but they hardly ever use them. I got by for about a month after I moved by just using my phone.

The system requirements are like any system from the last 6 years. Are people really using computers this old? I hear a bunch of people commenting about businesses but at least at the companies I worked at we never had machines older than 4 years old. Seems kind of overblown.

Oh yea and bring on the down votes. I understand this is Lemmy and anything that challenges the hatred of Windows is met with extreme disagreement.

Remind me again about how awful it is that Bitcoin uses so much energy? Is it because one form of waste makes shit tons of money for shareholders and the other makes money for regular people?