Windows 10 -- Safe?

Discussion in 'Fred's House of Pancakes' started by Stevewoods, Sep 10, 2025 at 11:57 AM.

  1. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    656
    1,092
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    My old Windows 10 desktop PC cannot tolerate Windows 11.

    Other than that, it still chugs along.

    Windows 10 support ends in October, so no more security updates.

    Safe to continue with the old thing?

    I am semi-retired. Use it for the normal home things....TurboTax, household banking, stock accounts, online shopping.

    Oh, forget about Linux. Wifey is the one mostly using the PC and she would never agree.
     
    #1 Stevewoods, Sep 10, 2025 at 11:57 AM
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2025 at 12:17 PM
  2. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    3,046
    1,621
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    You can get a security extension until 10-2026; it's available in your gear->systems update screen.

    You can buy a newer used computer, Intel gen-8 processor or better with version 2.0 or better security chip. I prefer used laptops, best bang for the bucks. I usually DoD wipe or install my own 'hard-drive' to make sure there's no malware on-board. I have a dedicated laptop that I use for quicken, banking, and taxes that I keep up to date with security software. I use my other computers for surfing, shopping, or streaming. This lowers the likely-hood of catching a bug on your financial computer when the grand-kids are messing with your computer or playing games on it.

    Hope this helps......

    PS; I'm a bit paranoid, so I wipe the hard drive on new computers too; so I know exactly what's on them and what's spying on me. All computer manufacturers are PAID to install certain software that enhances their profit margins.
     
    Stevewoods likes this.
  3. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    8,264
    7,043
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Windows 10 -- Safe?

    NO!!!!
    HECK NO.
    NO WAY, NO DAY.

    PS.....11 isn't much better.

    Get off of the treadmill.
    Apple is the company that I hate to love and love to hate, but if you're NOT thinking about foot-bailing on Windows RIGHT NOW - then stop reading this and go watch a cat video.
    I went to Linux after the Fischer-Price interface in Windows 8 and Linux getting better and better, if also more and more bloated.
    You no longer have to be a geek or have a (now worthless) graduate degree in IT to use a distro like Linux Mint, for example.

    SO.....
    I get it.
    I'm married, and my CFO would rather not deal with electronic devices, and I did NOT want to continue to be her tier-1 technical support for Wintel boxes - so I threw her into the Appleverse and never looked back.

    As long as you can overlook their creepy 'forever young' marketing, the 1980's GM planned obsolescence, and other things that I will leave for FHOP_P they're a less expensive option than you may think if you always settle for last years' model and use their CPO program.
    https://www.apple.com/us_epp_805199/shop/refurbished

    I've bought several of their refurbished products and they have all been indistinguishable from new.

    AND?
    If you are an educator, first responder or a vet you get a 10% discount. :cool:
     
    Stevewoods likes this.
  4. Mendel Leisk

    Mendel Leisk MMX GEN III

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2010
    59,474
    40,919
    80
    Location:
    Greater Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    Touring
    We bit the bullet, upgraded. Bonus: everything’s a LOT more responsive, what with up to date processors, more RAM, solid state drives. Went with our usual custom-build place, amazing bunch.

    I found Google AI a godsend, with any stumbling blocks.
     
  5. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    3,046
    1,621
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    You'd be surprised how fast an old clunker computer can move with the proper hardware - SSD & expanded memory are cheap for an older computer. I build up units for friends and family members. Can't make a career out of it because the margins are so slim and you have to do volume; which impacts quality.
    One of my younger nieces commented how much slower her new education computer was compared to the pokey I7 I built for her dad. I told her it was probably the bloatware and spyware the school loaded onto it, to keep track of it. Don't do anything on it that you wouldn't want a teacher seeing on it - because they can........
    I'm still using second and third gen I5 processors for general purpose and streaming. The older kids don't like the computers I've given them because they try to play the latest first person shooter games on them. With the exception of 3D CAD simulations, those laptops should get them through their bachelors degree - not for playing games. I guess I'm the bad uncle for not giving them something they can play modern games with.
     
    #5 BiomedO1, Sep 10, 2025 at 8:06 PM
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2025 at 8:17 PM
    Stevewoods likes this.
  6. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    3,046
    1,621
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    Sorry, Clarification: Windows icon->Gear(settings)->Update & security
     
  7. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    8,264
    7,043
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Hmmmph.
    I'd say that that's the definition of being a GOOD Uncle!
     
    Stevewoods and BiomedO1 like this.
  8. Blueness

    Blueness New Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2025
    12
    5
    0
    Location:
    Farmington, NM
    Vehicle:
    2018 Prius Prime
    Model:
    Prime Plus
    How old is old?

    I would not keep going on Windows 10 after support ends unless you pay for extended support. Your PC may run Windows 11 just fine though, what's the system specs (processor, ram, using a SSD?)
     
  9. BiomedO1

    BiomedO1 Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 27, 2021
    3,046
    1,621
    0
    Location:
    SacTown, Ca
    Vehicle:
    2021 Prius Prime
    Model:
    LE
    See thread #2. I believe the gen8 intel processors came out around 2020 or 2021. The i5-8xxx series processors are a bit slow in the power saving 1.8 gHz range. Works OK @ 8GB of memory better with 16GB and beyond. Relatively slow on boot-up, but once everything loads up it's fine - mainly due to the extra memory space. System lags are minimized by using NVME SSD, but a regular SSD will work fine but slightly slower. Use CCleaner for housekeeping task; Windows is fairly messy and leaves a lot of "bread crumbs" lying around on the HDU.
     
    Stevewoods likes this.
  10. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    656
    1,092
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Wifey has spoken. Looks like a Dell but have not made final decsion.

    The old HP was 14 years old in August. It is 16gb & 1TB so it was a decent machine.
     
  11. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    8,264
    7,043
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Happy spouse.
    Happy house.
     
    AzWxGuy and Stevewoods like this.
  12. Stevewoods

    Stevewoods Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2014
    656
    1,092
    0
    Location:
    Seattle, WA
    Vehicle:
    2008 Prius
    Model:
    II
    Well, I tried to get wife to get with Apple. She has an IPhone and loves it, but she wants nothing to do with their computers.

    We use Apple at work and I would be fine with a MAC of some sort.

    Well, I was messing around the back of the old HP this afternoon, counting ports and what not in an effort to find out what I want on our new computer.

    An hour or so later we had no WiFi in the house. I turned our Netgear Nighthawk router on and off, Nothing. The cable connected HP had internet, the TVs and phones were out of luck.

    Took me an hour of troubleshooting to realize I must had hit a button on the router that turned off WiFi while I was screwing around with the cables under the desk.

    Nah, not always the smartest....as an aside, earlier today, I was cleaning the outside wall of the house where all the cables and things enter and thought I may had screwed up something outside, so I chased that for awhile until I realized that I had internet -- just not wireless internet.

    Ah, well, six more posts and I hit 666 lifetime and you folks won't have to read my stories of stupidity. LOL
     
  13. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    8,264
    7,043
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A
    Most people would have blamed it on their internet provider.....
     
  14. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2019
    1,189
    774
    4
    Location:
    Monument, Colorado USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Yep I had to let go of my old laptop which was on 10. (Which was fine, sound was starting to act wonky and USB ports decided to not work.) It was a refurbed I got cheap a long time ago.

    Macs are the best but too expensive for my cheap wallet. And I don't do gaming nonsense or graphical editing.

    New one is another el cheapo but has Windows 11. (Just got a huge update....very annoying when you're waiting to use it for banking stuff.) I did learn, years ago, to NOT automatically update but only do it when I have time.
     
  15. ETC(SS)

    ETC(SS) The OTHER One Percenter.....

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2010
    8,264
    7,043
    0
    Location:
    Redneck Riviera (Gulf South)
    Vehicle:
    Other Non-Hybrid
    Model:
    N/A

    "Teacher says every time a Windows PC goes EOL, a Linux computer gets its wings!!"

    -Zuzu Bailey
    upload_2025-9-12_11-30-44.png
     
    #15 ETC(SS), Sep 12, 2025 at 12:31 PM
    Last edited: Sep 12, 2025 at 1:39 PM
    ColoradoBoo likes this.
  16. ColoradoBoo

    ColoradoBoo Senior Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2019
    1,189
    774
    4
    Location:
    Monument, Colorado USA
    Vehicle:
    2017 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    I did have a Chromebook and used LibreOffice to open and edit my MS Excel spreadsheets but I found the macros and certain commands were different which was annoying.
    But my corporation's Employee Discount store sells licenses of MS Office for cheap so just got that....no annoying "subscription" fees.
     
  17. frodoz737

    frodoz737 Top Wrench

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2010
    4,624
    2,480
    33
    Location:
    Texas
    Vehicle:
    2015 Prius
    Model:
    Four
    I made my own W11 replacement desktop 2 1/2 years ago. My last build was a high end 775 socket that evolved from XP to W10...that lasted 14 years...so it was time.
     
    ColoradoBoo likes this.