Windows 10 Upgrade - OPatch

400ixl

Some devices from that far back can run Windows 11, there are still some that can't.

But if the PC can and the user is happy to follow the instructions to do it, this would be a better solution than 0Patch for sure.

If you just want to kick the can down the road until Oct 26 as you don't want to do the Win 11 upgrade then for £30 it isn't a bad option to just get the MS cover.

A lot of people do not know of the work around to get Windows 11 installed and many of those (given most of the people I know who are not technical) would likely mess it up, or certainly fear they would.

GDB2222

I am taking the view that I will upgrade the hardware so it is w11 compatible, and keep the old hardware to run Linux. 

 bought a brand new desktop for £90, so it is not worth spending £30 to kick the can down the road for a year. 

GDB2222

Something like this would be great for many people, and costs £105 if you opt for the 16GB version.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gmktec-g3-mini-pc-intel-n100-win11-pro-mini-pc-8256gb-ps7329-ps6708in-usd-16512gb10599ps9932-in-usd-wcode-at-gmktec-office-store-4578331


So use this for your day to day tasks, and assuming you need the old heavy weight machine for some tasks, stick Linux on it and power it up when needed. 

Frozen_up_north

GDB2222 said:

Something like this would be great for many people, and costs £105 if you opt for the 16GB version.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gmktec-g3-mini-pc-intel-n100-win11-pro-mini-pc-8256gb-ps7329-ps6708in-usd-16512gb10599ps9932-in-usd-wcode-at-gmktec-office-store-4578331

Given that Windows 11 Pro costs £220 retail, a complete new PC with it for half that cost is a bit dubious to say the least. You can buy pirate copies of activation keys for Microsoft products for less than £20, but beware they might suddenly cease working, or even fail to activate.
Still, at the end of the day it is a cheap box to run Linux if nothing else.

Baldytyke88

GDB2222 said:

Something like this would be great for many people, and costs £105 if you opt for the 16GB version.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gmktec-g3-mini-pc-intel-n100-win11-pro-mini-pc-8256gb-ps7329-ps6708in-usd-16512gb10599ps9932-in-usd-wcode-at-gmktec-office-store-4578331

I got the windows upgrade message and my PC is not compatible with W11.

My PC was made in 2014, I bought it second-hand a few years ago.

I looked at a few desktops in Argos and they started at around £500, the last time I bought a new desktop it was around £200

I use Firefox, but I also need software compatible with Microsoft. I presently use Open Office, and I do sometimes have issues.

I am considering my options.

GDB2222

Frozen_up_north said:

GDB2222 said:

Something like this would be great for many people, and costs £105 if you opt for the 16GB version.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gmktec-g3-mini-pc-intel-n100-win11-pro-mini-pc-8256gb-ps7329-ps6708in-usd-16512gb10599ps9932-in-usd-wcode-at-gmktec-office-store-4578331

Given that Windows 11 Pro costs £220 retail, a complete new PC with it for half that cost is a bit dubious to say the least. You can buy pirate copies of activation keys for Microsoft products for less than £20, but beware they might suddenly cease working, or even fail to activate.
Still, at the end of the day it is a cheap box to run Linux if nothing else.

OEMs pay vastly less than the full retail price.  GMKTec seem to be a reputable company - at least they have sold 10's of thousands of these devices, and I'd expect MS to be onto them by now if they were infringing copyright. Certainly, we'd have heard by now if W11 failed to activate.

BFBW

Baldytyke88 said:

GDB2222 said:

Something like this would be great for many people, and costs £105 if you opt for the 16GB version.

https://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/gmktec-g3-mini-pc-intel-n100-win11-pro-mini-pc-8256gb-ps7329-ps6708in-usd-16512gb10599ps9932-in-usd-wcode-at-gmktec-office-store-4578331

I got the windows upgrade message and my PC is not compatible with W11.

My PC was made in 2014, I bought it second-hand a few years ago.

I looked at a few desktops in Argos and they started at around £500, the last time I bought a new desktop it was around £200

I use Firefox, but I also need software compatible with Microsoft. I presently use Open Office, and I do sometimes have issues.

I am considering my options.

Your options are to either upgrade to Windows 11 anyway and be covered until at lest October 2026 or to pay for extended support. Buy a new device only if you need improved performance that the current cannot provide.

nccgtr2

I have not paid for Windows since windows 7.  I used my Windows 7 key to install Windows 10 and last year windows 11.  I only ever do clean installs.  Technically my Windows installs are not clean because I had to install Windows 10 to then run the installer for Windows 11 so that the compatibility checker was ignored.  I was annoyed because my PC hardware was from 2017 and the CPU did not quite make the grade.  I guess i have been lucky, no issues so far and I dont look back.  Windows 11 i feel is much improved. 

Here is what i did.  Its a bit of a faff:
Create the latest Win 10 boot drive (your USB drive will be wiped when you do this and it needs to be approx 50GB)
Google Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.ISO and download from Microsofts site so you have the real thing.  Save this to a USB drive too.  Can be the same one if there is space.
Install Windows 10, get through all the setup till you are on desktop.  Dont faff setting up things you dont need to eg sound drivers etc
Copy Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.ISO to your windows 10 desktop
Mount the Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.ISO
Now use Command prompt to navigate to the ISO.  Type this:
f:\sources\setupprep.exe /product server

Once setup starts i choose to keep nothing.  works for me win win 7 key.  
Hope this makes sence / helps someone

BFBW

nccgtr2 said:

I have not paid for Windows since windows 7.  I used my Windows 7 key to install Windows 10 and last year windows 11.  I only ever do clean installs.  Technically my Windows installs are not clean because I had to install Windows 10 to then run the installer for Windows 11 so that the compatibility checker was ignored.  I was annoyed because my PC hardware was from 2017 and the CPU did not quite make the grade.  I guess i have been lucky, no issues so far and I dont look back.  Windows 11 i feel is much improved. 

Here is what i did.  Its a bit of a faff:
Create the latest Win 10 boot drive (your USB drive will be wiped when you do this and it needs to be approx 50GB)
Google Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.ISO and download from Microsofts site so you have the real thing.  Save this to a USB drive too.  Can be the same one if there is space.
Install Windows 10, get through all the setup till you are on desktop.  Dont faff setting up things you dont need to eg sound drivers etc
Copy Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.ISO to your windows 10 desktop
Mount the Win11_23H2_EnglishInternational_x64v2.ISO
Now use Command prompt to navigate to the ISO.  Type this:
f:\sources\setupprep.exe /product server

Once setup starts i choose to keep nothing.  works for me win win 7 key.  
Hope this makes sence / helps someone

Why are you recommending the installation of 23H2? It becomes obsolete on November 11, 2025. Obviously your guide is somewhat outdated.
24H2 is the go, taking you to October 13 2026.
Much better and easier to just use Rufus to create the Windows 11 install media, than to have to create Windows 10 media, install it and then download Windows 11, mount it...... A 'bit of a faff' indeed.

Flyby11 simplifies the process you have described, using the same method. Since most people will have Windows 10 installed in the first place, it will just be a matter of downloading Windows 11 24H2 from the Microsoft website and dragging it over to the Flyby11 interface.

BFBW

caveman38 said:

In anticipation for the October deadline for W10 support. I am looking for my options without changing my PC and laptop.
One of the options is to use OPatch to handle security updates which MS will cease to do. 
Does anyone know how efficient this is and what it costs in comparison to MS's option to pay $30 for an extra years security updates. 

Just to reiterate. Just move to Windows 11. Bypass the compatibility check and install anyway. Likelihood is that you'll be okay until 2028....but don't quote me on that