It’s the final end for Windows 10. With 14. October 2025 All support for the operating system will be discontinued. The provider announced Microsoft last week on. On this day at the latest, users should wait for the successor, Windows 11, convert. If you don’t do this, you run the risk of opening the floodgates to malware and making your old PC or laptop a target for hacker attacks. Because Microsoft no longer plugs any security gaps from then on. With the exception of companies, they can secure further paid support for some time.
The crux of the matter: Windows 11 is no ordinary update. For the successor system, Microsoft has the hardware requirements for PCs and notebooks has been screwed up considerably. They are so unusually high that “Microsoft practically all devices with technology from before 2018 declared e-waste,” reports das Industry magazine “c’t” and speaks of one “Upgrade Scandal”.
Anyone who owns an old device and does not want to take any security risks is therefore forced to buy a new one. Naturally, that takes care of that criticism on the part of consumers. But also environmental organizations and experts complain that the hardware requirements are too high.
Outdated devices are no longer compatible
Affected by the support setting of Windows 10 are devices with AMD processors up to year 2017 as well as with processors from Intel up to the series Core i-7000. PCs and notebooks must also be equipped with a Trusted-Platform-Module (TPM) be compatible with the second generation. The encryption processor extends devices with basic security functions. Also the mandatory BIOS function „Secure Boot“ should bring more security.
How many desktop PCs and laptops would be excluded from the switch? In Austria, in the past 10 years, around 14 million Bought desktops, notebooks and tablets. Although the numbers refer to all manufacturers, they are round 75 percent all computers in this country with Windows. Even if the new purchases of the past 5 years subtracted – i.e. those devices that are most likely to meet the modern requirements – there would still be millions of devices left that are in principle not suitable for Windows 11. It is of course questionable how many of these outdated PCs are actually still in use at the time of the changeover.
This is what it looks like when the PC does not meet the hardware requirements.
© Microsoft
Worry about e-waste
If you don’t want to take a security risk, you have to own your device retire. This is not only annoying and expensive for customers. Also the Environment suffers from it, criticize environmental organizations. “The amount of electronic waste per capita in Austria has increased by 36 percent within 10 years,” according to the environmental protection organization Greenpeace opposite the future zone. “The greatest contribution to environmental and climate protection is to manufacture products in such a way that they can be used, repaired and updated for a long time – because the emissions and resource consumption in production have an enormous footprint,” criticizes the NGO. Companies would hardly be responsible for people and the environment.
Also the electrical equipment conditioner Refurbed doesn’t think much of Microsoft’s move. “Microsoft’s end of support for Windows 10, which is currently being discussed, is a perfect example of how much – in the absence of a political and legal framework – individual protagonists still have the power to throw up an incredible amount of (unnecessary) e-waste in one fell swoop generate,” says Refurbed founder Peter Windischhofer opposite the future zone. “It is a disempowerment of consumers, who are thereby denied the opportunity to decide according to their needs and values how long they want to use products they have already bought”. Windischhofer speaks of one artificial reduction of the life cycle“which is completely incomprehensible, especially in times when we are talking about more sustainable economic forms, the climate crisis and the avoidance of e-waste.”
After all, Microsoft itself shouldn’t do well to take the step. At least that one carbon footprint the company. Microsoft would like in the coming 10 years CO2 negative become. However, if many new Windows 11 devices are requested, including Surface PCs, for example, the group’s carbon footprint will also increase.
Microsoft argues with improved security
But why the time-consuming update? Microsoft argues the high hardware requirements with a Plus in security. „Software alone cannot make software secure enough,” Microsoft said in one Statement opposite the future zone. “It requires hardware components such as modern processors, UEFI Secure Boot or TPM 2.0 to make a system so secure that it can withstand modern attack vectors – such as ransomware – from the Internet.”
The specialist magazine c’t does not see this as a good reason for such a hardware lock. Because the additional hardware does not protect against other threats, such as malware spread via phishing e-mails. Microsoft’s move is about “pure arbitrariness” with the intention of saving on support for older systems.
In fact, Windows 11 is a unusual update. Previous system changes, including Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10, did not place such high demands on hardware.
PC industry is weakening
Assuming Microsoft isn’t about security, what is the company about? The move could also be financially motivated. The PC industry is currently weakening. Since the Pandemic Sales of devices are only sluggish.
This means that Microsoft is also less involved software licenses earned, which the tech giant sells to hardware manufacturers. If old computers now have to be replaced by new Windows 11-compatible PCs, Microsoft’s income would also increase.
What can users do?
Who keep their old device wants and values security has several options. The most obvious option is his PC separated from the network to use. Then there are neither updates nor security risks – but no internet either.
The more useful variant 2 is probably Windows 11 at Microsoft Requirements to install by. However, the group warns against such manipulations. This could cause damage to the PC, which is then no longer covered by the warranty, is it[called. It is also questionable whether the update can be tricked at all in future versions.
Another option is to click Linux to switch The free operating system also runs on older computers, but has the disadvantage that many common Windows-compatible programs cannot be used on it.
Whether a desktop PC, notebook or tablet meets the Windows 11 hardware requirements, users can use a Microsoft-Tool check over. If components are missing, a warning appears. And the installation will blocked.
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