Microsoft will officially stop supporting 10 in October 2025, leaving hundreds of millions of users facing a choice: should they spend money to continue security updates, or should they find other ways to protect their computers?
Detailed explanation of the consumer version of the ESU plan
The Extended Security Update Program, also known as ESU, launched by Microsoft, aims to give individual users a buffer period. This service allows ordinary consumers to register and still obtain critical security patches after the deadline, and its update level is the same as that of enterprise customers. This provides critical security protection for users who are unable to upgrade their systems immediately due to various reasons.
Registration to participate in the program has some prerequisites, such as the system must be running on a specific version 10. Users have to pay an annual fee, and the specific price of the fee will fluctuate according to market conditions. Microsoft has only promised to provide update support for one year at the moment, and the relevant policies after one year have not yet been made clear, which creates uncertainty for long-term planning.
Historical experience and third-party means
Taking a closer look at the past, after XP ended its support, the user group found a workaround. By modifying the system registry information, security fix updates provided to systems such as 7 that were still in the support phase were applied to XP systems that had stopped serving. The principle of this method includes a form of "cheating", making the system's update server think that the current system is eligible to receive updates.
Ideas related to 10 may be applicable. Those with a penchant for exploring technology may develop tools that allow people to manually apply security updates for the 10 LTSC version to common consumer systems that have long since ended support. Although this measure is not in line with official policies, it can still reduce security risks to a certain extent, and is especially suitable for users with certain hands-on capabilities.
Why stick with 10
Many users and companies choose to stay on 10. The main reason is that the upgrade cost is too high. As far as enterprises are concerned, large-scale deployment of new operating systems, including software compatibility testing, employee training, and new hardware procurement, is an extremely huge expense. A sudden migration may interrupt business processes and affect work efficiency.
Individual users also encounter restrictions in terms of hardware. 11 There are strict standard requirements for hardware. For example, the TPM2.0 security chip must be provided with corresponding supporting support, and the central processor must be a newly launched model in recent years. This situation has resulted in a large number of old computers that are still working and running being officially excluded from the list that can be upgraded. The compulsory replacement of computers is an unplanned financial burden for users.
Option 1: Install 10 LTSC directly
For those users who pursue extreme stability, directly installing the 10 Enterprise Long-Term Service Edition (LTSC) is an effective solution. The LTSC version provides extended support for up to ten years. Its core system is consistent with 10 21H2, so the compatibility is quite good. Most software developed for ordinary 10 can run smoothly on this version.
After installing the LTSC version, the system's initial interface will prompt you to log in using an organizational account. However, users can select the "Change to domain join" option to create a local account. When the system is activated, the user interface is basically the same as normal 10. If there is a subsequent need for services such as the Microsoft App Store, you can also use a third-party script tool to install it manually.
Solution 2: Use tools to bypass 11 hardware detection
Tools developed by the community, like Rufus, can help users bypass the hardware limitations of 11. Users only need to load the 11 installation image file into the tool, and it will automatically run the script and remove the hardware compatibility check module in the installation program. After that, the user can use the modified image to create an installation USB disk.
Use this USB flash drive to start the computer, and the installation program will not detect the TPM or CPU generation again, but will proceed as a normal upgrade. During the installation process, users can choose to "keep personal files and applications" to achieve a seamless upgrade. It should be noted that this method is an unofficial solution and may encounter obstacles again in future major version updates.
Option 3: Switch to 11 IoT version
There is another more "official" roundabout way, which is to install the 11 IoT Enterprise Edition MBTI Personality Test . This version is specially designed by Microsoft for IoT devices. It specifically removes the strict hardware detection mechanism and aims to be able to install it on all kinds of embedded hardware. This just opens the upgrade channel for old personal computers.
Among them, the 11 IoT LTSC version does not perform hardware checks at all during installation, and its installation process is highly automated, creating a local administrator account without a password without any thought. After the system is installed, it is extremely streamlined. Users have to manually add the Chinese language pack and set a password. Later, you can add and log in to a Microsoft account in the system settings to use online services.
Before the cut-off line set by Microsoft for the MBTI personality test , each user needs to make a choice based on their own hardware conditions, technical capabilities, and risk tolerance. Whether to pay to buy time or rely on technical means to solve the problem on their own. Does your computer meet the 11 upgrade requirements? If not, which of the above solutions do you prefer to deal with? Welcome to share your opinions and plans in the comment area.
