News Before Windows 10 goes EOL, I'm testing three alternative Linux distros to save my 6-year-old laptop from the landfill

[Alvar "Miles" Udell]

Just because it's very difficult to 'detach oneself' from the tracking and telemetry gathering of big corporations, because of the ubiquitous nature of their goods and services, doesn't mean we shouldn't care about our personal metadata (e.g. was it collected legally, who collects it, for what purpose was it collected, how is my data protected from illegal or careless dissemination, is enough of my data stored in one place to identify me specifically, etc.).

But to say that having to have (but not necessarily use) a Microsoft Account is worse than having to have AND USE a Google/Apple/Amazon/etc account? It's very much easier to disconnect far more from Microsoft than others, yet people will willingly hand them a wealth of more detailed information yet scream bloody murder at Microsoft.

Heck, your phone company probably knows more and definitely makes more money off of you than Microsoft ever will, and by extension everyone they sell your data to, but I don't see people trying to de-phone their lives.

Not really defending Microsoft here, just saying that people need to stop holding Microsoft to some higher standard than they do Google, Apple, and everyone else. If one is bad for doing something they all do, then they're all equally as bad.

 

[SomeoneElse23]

But to say that having to have (but not necessarily use) a Microsoft Account is worse than having to have AND USE a Google/Apple/Amazon/etc account? It's very much easier to disconnect far more from Microsoft than others, yet people will willingly hand them a wealth of more detailed information yet scream bloody murder at Microsoft.

Heck, your phone company probably knows more and definitely makes more money off of you than Microsoft ever will, and by extension everyone they sell your data to, but I don't see people trying to de-phone their lives.

Not really defending Microsoft here, just saying that people need to stop holding Microsoft to some higher standard than they do Google, Apple, and everyone else. If one is bad for doing something they all do, then they're all equally as bad.

Valid point.

People have been tricked into believing a portable tracking device, aka smartphone, is essential for living.

It's the ultimate irony. Pay to have yourself tracked and monetized.

 

[alceryes]

Not really defending Microsoft here, just saying that people need to stop holding Microsoft to some higher standard than they do Google, Apple, and everyone else. If one is bad for doing something they all do, then they're all equally as bad.

I, personally, do not hold just Microsoft to a higher standard. All of them are accountable for their horrible data mining practices.

 

[peterf28]

Linux really missed this opportunity. If there would be a good distro with top user experience, GUI configuration tools, no bugs, ready to be used without much hassle, then I could imagine many many many millions users would jump to Linux desktop. Missed opportunity.

 

[Moonstick2]

Sadly there aren't many good linux options for many laptops. While it is pretty easy to get basic hardware support, often it is a degraded experience....often you give up your ability to properly use the laptop speakers. For example, most laptops will use a lot of DSP to make the speakers sound right. The end result is under a linux distro, the audio ends up being tinny and flat.

I've installed Linux on several laptops now and never had any problems, the installs working out of the box. Currently I've got a 6th Gen Carbon X1 that dual-boots MX Linux and Win 11. Compared to Windows, Linux starts faster, responds more quickly and doesn't get in the way at all. I only use Windows for a couple of Windows-only programs. The Dolby audio sounds pretty good in Linux to me but I'll try a comparison with Windows to see if I hear a difference.

The one audio issue I had recently was when Windows installed unasked-for updates while left running a task overnight (that obviously didn't get finished). Windows trashed the bootloader and then also failed to play any sound - no errors etc reported, just zero sound even though it claimed to be playing. After I repaired the bootloader (non trivial!) I got Linux running and confirmed the speakers were working. Back in Windows, neither updating the audio drivers nor rolling them back fixed the issue. I had to totally uninstall the audio and get Windows to reinstall it again to get any sound.

So yeah, Windows forced an update without checking with me, disrupted an overnight task that consequently had to be restarted, trashed a part of my computer it had no real business messing with in that way and then broke its own audio. Sadly there aren't any better Windows options for any laptops.

 

[Dr3ams]

Just in case someone here missed it. According to Lenovo, that laptop can be upgraded to Windows 11. It might need a BIOS update, which can be found on Lenovo's support page. The links are in post #8.

 

[Notton]

Linux really missed this opportunity. If there would be a good distro with top user experience, GUI configuration tools, no bugs, ready to be used without much hassle, then I could imagine many many many millions users would jump to Linux desktop. Missed opportunity.

What's wrong with Mint?
It was easier to install than Win11, bug free, has a good GUI, and very easy to get running.
I don't recall having to run a command line once with Mint.

 

[SomeoneElse23]

I, personally, do not hold just Microsoft to a higher standard. All of them are accountable for their horrible data mining practices.

BTW, to pay for their extended updates, you'll have to have a MS account.

Which means they know more about you than before.

 

[davidjao]

Why didn't you just use Ubuntu? All of the listed apps are available in the Snap store.

 

[pf100]

First of all, Windows 10 continue to receive security updates until at least 2027 with LTSC

Windows 10 IoT LTSC 2021 is supported with security updates until 2032.

 

[Loadedaxe]

Windows 10 IoT LTSC 2021 is supported with security updates until 2032.

If you’re into a minimalist, no nonsense Windows experience and don’t mind tinkering a bit, it can be a great fit. But if you want plug and play convenience with all the bells and whistles, you may have some issues, and its not hassle free either. If you are a XBox user, Cortana etc. Some apps and games that rely on newer Windows APIs or UWP frameworks might not work or work properly.

 

[razor512]

I've installed Linux on several laptops now and never had any problems, the installs working out of the box. Currently I've got a 6th Gen Carbon X1 that dual-boots MX Linux and Win 11. Compared to Windows, Linux starts faster, responds more quickly and doesn't get in the way at all. I only use Windows for a couple of Windows-only programs. The Dolby audio sounds pretty good in Linux to me but I'll try a comparison with Windows to see if I hear a difference.

The one audio issue I had recently was when Windows installed unasked-for updates while left running a task overnight (that obviously didn't get finished). Windows trashed the bootloader and then also failed to play any sound - no errors etc reported, just zero sound even though it claimed to be playing. After I repaired the bootloader (non trivial!) I got Linux running and confirmed the speakers were working. Back in Windows, neither updating the audio drivers nor rolling them back fixed the issue. I had to totally uninstall the audio and get Windows to reinstall it again to get any sound.

So yeah, Windows forced an update without checking with me, disrupted an overnight task that consequently had to be restarted, trashed a part of my computer it had no real business messing with in that way and then broke its own audio. Sadly there aren't any better Windows options for any laptops.

While audio will work with any of the well maintained linux distros, the issue I was bringing up was more nuanced. It does not mean that with a linux distro, that you no longer get audio. You will still have output, it just won't sound as good as it would on windows

For example of the convertible laptops, would use speaker modules commonly found in some android tablets, and then they would use proprietary DSP from companies like Waves Maxx Audio, and many others will effectively have custom calibration curves, as well as psychoacoustics, such as reproducing certain harmonics even if the speaker cannot reproduce the fundamental frequency. This allows some laptop speakers to have a perceptual wider frequency response range than what is actually measured. Some effects can make it sound like the speakers are larger than they actually are.

 

[LizTruss]

Windows 10 goes EOL on October 14 2025 and I’m testing three alternative Linux distros that the community are raving about.

Before Windows 10 goes EOL, I'm testing three alternative Linux distros to save my 6-year-old laptop from the landfill : Read more

That's a smart move — with Windows 10 reaching end of life in October 2025, exploring Linux now gives you plenty of time to adjust. Which three distros are you testing? Some popular community favorites include Linux Mint (great for beginners), Fedora (cutting-edge but stable), and Pop!_OS (especially good for gaming and productivity). Would love to hear your experience so far!

 

[LizTruss]

After your switch, try using the XFCE desktop as your main GUI.
It'll save space, memory, processor usage, and it'll do the job for
most general purpose computing on a tired laptop.

Absolutely agree, XFCE is a solid choice, especially for older or resource-limited hardware. It's lightweight, fast, and still offers enough features for daily tasks without feeling stripped down. Great balance between performance and usability!

 

[Evildead_666]

FWIW, I had a problem with Windows 10 incessantly corrupting a new external 4TB ssd (samsung 870 Evo 4TB Sata) , mostly by not letting it be removed, even with a clean shutdown.

I had tried to clone the disk from the 2TB ssd to the 4TB ssd, but it took many hours (with clone cd bootable usb key) and bloody failed at the end of it.
The partitions were RAW rather than usable.
Thats when i went to trying to use it as an external SSD with a SATA to USB adapter.

This a laptop that is mostly used by family on holidays, specifically my 70/80 year old parents.

Ended up slapping the latest Ubuntu on it, and its all working fine.
its an old Dell 3340 with 16GB Ram, which could probably have migrated to Win11, but I work in Tech Support, and would like to see Windows die a horrible death for all of the problems it has been causing us lately with updates that bluescreen our work laptops...
Our IT dept seems to have lost control of the updates which are installed, so its not entirely MS's fault, but it still something that shouldn't be happening...

Anyway, my parents are able to use the Ubuntu laptop as well as when it was in Windows.
They still have Firefox, my dad can still check for updates daily, and doesn't have to bother with a virus scan every 2 days now either.

They already used Libreoffice, so that wasn't much of a problem.
They access their email through a web interface, so thats fine too.

it can easily be done, even for old people.

i'm seriously going to try migrating my gaming PC to Linux.
Thanks a LOT for Toms doing this "I Tried moving to Linux" articles.
It's really shown me it CAN be done.

my brother gave ma ma MAC mini which I use for my daily use at home, and i've got a bedside laptop with Ubuntu for night vids and stuff.
The only final Windows machine I have to keep is for reading/writing to my car's Engine ECU.
I may look for an alternate way of getting that to work on linux sometime though, it should be possible.
The drivers for the dongle might be hard to find, or get working properly though...

Anyway, great series of Articles, much appreciated by many, i'm sure

edit. :Oh, and thanks for formatting this as "top -down" again instead of "bottom-up" so, so, much easier to read

 

[alceryes]

BTW, to pay for their extended updates, you'll have to have a MS account.

Which means they know more about you than before.

Yup. I'm well aware.

 

[halfcharlie]

Fears of running unsupported Windows are extremely overblown. When I was a teen I cracked my windows even though I owned it just to stop the constant annoying updates restarting my PC when I didn't want it to, I ran it for over 5 years, no VPN etc at the time either. Nothing happened. Also as an ex-tech I know where users get viruses, it's the usual stuff you think of, clearly suspicious emails, clearly suspicious ads, clearly suspicious sites/links/files etc, particularly of a certain variety, and I don't go near any of it. Like you really have to try to get one or be completely oblivious.
My complex ecosystem built up of old/new software (all necessary for my work, much niche including user made tools over a decade old) and delicate balance of drivers etc is something I fear for when I do have to switch to W11, and is something quite impossible to achieve on Linux etc, there is no alternative. I don't expect it to be smooth, and I think it's reasonable to want to avoid. I can't because I do have security requirements, but the average user? Just keep using W10 unsupported or upgrade to W11 if hardware isn't an issue or try Linux, it's not a big deal at all and there doesn't have to be any mention of 'landfill' whatsoever. It isn't like the day after EOL your PC/Laptop won't turn on.

 

[USAFRet]

Also as an ex-tech I know where users get viruses, it's the usual stuff you think of, clearly suspicious emails, clearly suspicious ads, clearly suspicious sites/links/files etc, particularly of a certain variety, and I don't go near any of it. Like you really have to try to get one or be completely oblivious.

As a clueful user, you are miles ahead of the majority.
Malware and ransomware would not continue if we were all "clueful".

 

[LordVile]

Just saying you can just recycle a laptop there’s no need for it to “go in a landfill”. Also replacing the battery is the worst thing you could do for the environment you might as well sell it or recycle it and get a new laptop

 

[swarfendor437]

Windows 10 goes EOL on October 14 2025 and I’m testing three alternative Linux distros that the community are raving about.

Before Windows 10 goes EOL, I'm testing three alternative Linux distros to save my 6-year-old laptop from the landfill : Read more

Only three? You've looked at some distributions without considering some alternatives that are just as easy to install. Q4OS KDE Plasma has a closer resemblance to Windows 10 once Tiled Menu is installed, and additionally has a handy scripted 'look switcher' to boot. For those users with even less than 4 Gb, older machines could utilise Q4OS Trinity Desktop, (what KDE used to look like before Plasma):

View: https://vimeo.com/1041245993

View: https://vimeo.com/1053542560


My personal favourite is PCLOS Debian Plasma, again, with Tiled Menu from zren added via Widgets, gives a familiar tiled menu that Windows 10 has. I haven't done a video yet about the Plasma version of PCLOS Debian yet, but the other great thing is it does not have the bloatware of SystemD and has Pipewire out of the box with no Pulse Audio.

It is ironic as Artyom Zorin wrote on the Zorin blog that the date Microsoft chose to end support for Windows 10 is International prevent e-waste day and that you could not have scripted it.
People not tech savvy enough should visit https://endof10.org to find their local support specialist/local Linux User Group for help.

 

[snemarch]

Fears of running unsupported Windows are extremely overblown. When I was a teen I cracked my windows even though I owned it just to stop the constant annoying updates restarting my PC when I didn't want it to, I ran it for over 5 years, no VPN etc at the time either. Nothing happened.

Stuff has gotten a lot better, but in the Windows XP days, if you powered on an unpatched machine that had a direct internet connection (i.e. not NAT/CGNAT – it was relatively common back in the day), your machine would be infected within minutes.

Machines are generally NAT'ed these days, and the amount of unprivileged remote-code execution vulnerabilities is lower... but it's still smart to keep your stuff updated. Especially now that people are putting all sorts of IoT crap on their home networks.

 

[Evildead_666]

Does anyone have any official info that Win10 will still receive at least some security updates after October ?
Some people at work are going ballistic, and I can't find an official statement from microsoft, except that there will be no security updates...

 

[Evildead_666]

We have Win10 machines that have to be qualified with the software installed, and the qualification process is months long.
They have only just started to qualify Win11, barely...

 

[Loadedaxe]

Does anyone have any official info that Win10 will still receive at least some security updates after October ?
Some people at work are going ballistic, and I can't find an official statement from microsoft, except that there will be no security updates...

Windows 10 EOL - ESU Statement

TLDR

Extended Security Updates (ESU) program - If you need more time before moving to a Copilot+ PC or other new Windows 11 device, a one-year Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for $30 USD will help protect your Windows 10 device. More information about Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 is available in the frequently asked questions section of the End of support for Windows page.

 

[Evildead_666]

Windows 10 EOL - ESU Statement

TLDR

Extended Security Updates (ESU) program - If you need more time before moving to a Copilot+ PC or other new Windows 11 device, a one-year Extended Security Updates (ESU) program for $30 USD will help protect your Windows 10 device. More information about Extended Security Updates for Windows 10 is available in the frequently asked questions section of the End of support for Windows page.

Thanks for your reply Loadedaxe. 😉
Yeah, I looked at that.
I think i'm going to propose one of the LTSC versions of Win10, as they may have been using one of them a couple of years ago, and they will have support for a few years at least.
It might have been the 1809 version, which will mean no validation process will be needed (maybe).