Octopus Overlords

Hi guys! I haven't been following this thread (shame on me ) but I'm still happy with Win10 and have a nice rig that I am loath to get rid of. However, Microsoft tells me that I can't upgrade this machine to Win11 . Anyone see any chance that MS will change their minds and allow machines like mine to upgrade to Win11?

If not, is the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program something folks would recommend? I've never needed any MS support and I'm happy with my current machine.

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 21, 2025 3:28 pm Hi guys! I haven't been following this thread (shame on me ) but I'm still happy with Win10 and have a nice rig that I am loath to get rid of. However, Microsoft tells me that I can't upgrade this machine to Win11 . Anyone see any chance that MS will change their minds and allow machines like mine to upgrade to Win11?

If not, is the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program something folks would recommend? I've never needed any MS support and I'm happy with my current machine.

Is there a specific reason for it not being eligible for the W11 upgrade?

Anyhow, from PC Magazine:

How to Upgrade to Windows 11 for Free (Even if Your PC Is Unsupported)

Use Rufus To Upgrade an Unsupported PC

What if your PC doesn't qualify for Windows 11? With the free third-party Rufus tool, you're able to install an operating system such as Windows 11 by sneaking past the usual requirements. To set this up, download or create the Windows 11 ISO as explained above. Next, install Rufus and launch the program.

The article goes on to provide step-by-step instructions on how to install the OS on an unsupported PC.

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 21, 2025 3:28 pm Hi guys! I haven't been following this thread (shame on me ) but I'm still happy with Win10 and have a nice rig that I am loath to get rid of. However, Microsoft tells me that I can't upgrade this machine to Win11 . Anyone see any chance that MS will change their minds and allow machines like mine to upgrade to Win11?

If not, is the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program something folks would recommend? I've never needed any MS support and I'm happy with my current machine.

Most modern computers qualify for the upgrade, but need to turn on "TPM management" in their bios settings.

jztemple2 wrote: Fri Mar 21, 2025 3:28 pm Hi guys! I haven't been following this thread (shame on me ) but I'm still happy with Win10 and have a nice rig that I am loath to get rid of. However, Microsoft tells me that I can't upgrade this machine to Win11 . Anyone see any chance that MS will change their minds and allow machines like mine to upgrade to Win11?

If not, is the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program something folks would recommend? I've never needed any MS support and I'm happy with my current machine.

Most modern computers qualify for the upgrade, but need to turn on "TPM management" in their bios settings.

and if you really want to upgrade to Win 11 but do not have TPM support in your BIOS, you can buy a $10-20 TPM chip to plug onto your motherboard to give your computer that capability. they might even make USB ones for laptops, haha

(or if you trust random no-name Chineseum, you can get them even cheaper: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=tp ... =0&_sop=15 )

Well, I don't really want to upgrade to Win11 if I can avoid it, so I'll probably go with the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for a year or so after October.

I haven't been pricing gaming rigs recently, but I imagine it's going to be steep

My work laptop is still on Windows 10. Our enterprise IT team finally sent out an email last month that they will be working on a "rollout schedule". Whatever...I'm an admin on my laptop, so I'll probably just run the update whenever I have a slow day (probably closer to the summer). I've been debating doing it last year but didn't want to risk something going wrong and being told "we weren't ready for you to update yet". Now that it's official, I don't care if anything goes wrong.

jztemple2 wrote: Thu Apr 03, 2025 4:50 pm Well, I don't really want to upgrade to Win11 if I can avoid it, so I'll probably go with the Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for a year or so after October.

I haven't been pricing gaming rigs recently, but I imagine it's going to be steep

+1. Reports are circulating that tariffs on Vietnam, Taiwan, China & friends will soon boost prices for all manner of computer components by ~25%. I was going to upgrade all three of my machines when my big payday comes this summer...now I think I might try to flog them until this fever breaks. Maybe MS will postpone their deadline when the hardware market tanks.

hitbyambulance wrote: Thu Apr 03, 2025 3:08 pm and if you really want to upgrade to Win 11 but do not have TPM support in your BIOS, you can buy a $10-20 TPM chip to plug onto your motherboard to give your computer that capability. they might even make USB ones for laptops, haha

(or if you trust random no-name Chineseum, you can get them even cheaper: https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=tp ... =0&_sop=15 )

Any suggestions on reliable TPM chips for those who don't trust said entities?