How to Save Old PC When Windows 10 End of Life

Learn how to save old PC when Windows 10 end of life via three feasible ways on this page. Besides, you can learn to clone Windows to another computer with EaseUS Partition Master safely.

Undoubtedly, it's not secure to run Windows 10 after Microsoft ends support. More precisely, after October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer offer free software upgrades, technical support, or security fixes for Windows 10 through Windows Update. Thus, Microsoft encourages Win10 customers to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2. 

However, higher hardware requirements or other reasons may discourage partial Windows 10 users from upgrading to Windows 11, prompting them to wonder how to preserve their old PCs after Windows 10 end of support.

Way 1. Pay for the ESU program for Windows 10

"Can I pay for extended Windows 10 support?" Of course, you can. The ESU program enables PCs to continue receiving crucial security upgrades through an annual subscription service after support has ended.

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Way 2. Force Windows 11 on Your Old Windows 10

How to save old PC when Windows 10 end of life? If you disregard the system requirements, you can also continue using an older PC that does not technically meet the Windows 11 system requirements.

However, Microsoft does not encourage it because the TPM requirement for newer systems relates to the capacity to store private encryption keys and other secrets in a truly secure manner. More specifically, Trusted Platform Module version 2.0 (TPM 2.0) is required to run Windows 11.

Here are the specific steps.

Step 1. Launch Rufus > under the Device tab, select your connected USB > under the Boot section, choose your downloaded iso. file.

Step 2. Under the Image option, select Standard Windows installation > under the Partition scheme section, select GPT > under the Target system tab, select UEFI (no CSM) > click START.

Step 3. The Windows User Experience box appears > tick the Remove the requirement for 4GB RAM, Secure Boot, and TPM 2.0 option.

Step 4. Click OK > confirm that all existing data on your USB stick will be erased. Please wait patiently for the change to finish.

Step 5. Press Win + E to open File Explorer > open the USB drive > launch the Setup.exe program. Please accept the user agreement and follow the on-screen instructions to execute the following steps.

Step 6. Begin installation > the default choice is to keep all personal files and installed programs without resetting any settings.

Way 3. Change Windows to Linux

How to save old PC when Windows 10 end of life? The third option is to switch from Windows to Linux. Linux has numerous so-called distributions, including Arch, Debian, Fedora, Manjaro, Mint, Red Hat, and Ubuntu.

If you have never used Linux, you can get started with Linux Mint. Its graphical interface is similar to that of Windows and is designed to function smoothly immediately after installation, without requiring any configuration.

Step 1. Download and create a Linux Mint installation drive

• Visit the Linux Mint distribution website to obtain the latest version of Linux Mint > Download the iso. file.
• Install and launch Balena Etcher > in the interface of Balena Etcher, select the .iso file > select the connected USB stick of at least 4 GB.
• Click on Flash > authorize to overwrite the USB stick with the Mint installer.

Step 2. Start the installation

• Restart your PC > press the corresponding keys to access the start menu before Windows starts. It depends on your computer manufacturer.
• After starting Mint, double-click the Install Linux Mint icon to begin the installation. You'll be prompted to select the language, the keyboard layout, and tick the Install multimedia add-ons box.
• Select Erase disk and install Linux Mint > click Choose the right disc to install on > select Install now > click Continue.

During installation, you need to select a time zone, enter a username and password, and so on.

Step 3. Begin to use Linux Mint

• Restart your computer > enter the password > you'll see the Mint desktop and a welcome program.

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How to Clone Windows to Another Computer🔥

In addition to upgrading Windows, the Windows system clone is a popular topic. Many customers have reported being unable to boot after cloning the C drive or being unsure how to change the boot drive. If you're concerned about these issues, this section can provide assistance.

Please update your two computers to the latest version. Then, you'd better prepare the following items before beginning the OS clone.

Step 1. Launch EaseUS Partition Master, go to the Disk Clone tab, select "Clone OS Disk" and click "Next". 

Step 2. Select the target new drive where you want to clone the OS to, and click "Next".

Click "Yes" to confirm that you want to continue the OS disk cloning process.

Step 3. View the disk layout, and click "Start" to begin the OS cloning process.

Step 4. When the process completes, you'll see a confirming message, asking "if you want to start up computer from the clone target disk". 

• Reboot Now means to reboot your PC and configure the computer to boot OS from the new disk immediately.
• Done means you want to make the changes later. 

Phase 2. Connect the new disk to PC and make it bootable

The following is to boot the new computer with the cloned Windows OS. Install the hard drive with cloned OS into the new computer and follow the steps below to boot it.

Step 1: Enter the BIOS settings with the help of F2, F10, Delete, or others, depending on your brand to Invoke the BIOS.

Step 2: Now Open the BIOS menu, and enter the "BIOS" setup.

Step 3: For your system to boot the new hard drive, you need to give it priority.

Move to Configure boot options, Click on Change boot order and move the hard drive with clone Windows to the top of the boot sequence list.

Step 4: Save and Exit the BIOS setup and restart the computer the boot the cloned OS.

You will see "Windows getting Ready" on your screen, indicating the hard drive is booted properly.

Conclusion

How to save old PC when Windows 10 end of life? This guide lists three feasible ways. You can select to pay for the ESU program for Windows 10, force Windows 11 on your old Windows 10, or switch to the Linux OS. Meanwhile, you can also find the most efficient way to clone Windows if needed. Don't hesitate to download EaseUS Partition Master now!

FAQs about Windows 10 and Windows 11

Considering that Windows 10 is more vulnerable to information leakage, hacker attacks, and other potential risks due to a lack of software upgrades, technical support, or security fixes, many Windows 10 users are seeking effective ways to protect their PCs.

1. How to make your Windows 10 more secure?

Here are some helpful tips.

• Enable Windows Security: Ensure that Windows Security (previously Windows Defender (10)) is activated.
• Create Strong Passwords: Use complicated passwords and keep track of them with a password manager.
• Disable Remote Access: To prevent unwanted remote connections, disable remote access services that you do not need.

2. What happens to old computers when Windows 10 expires?

After October 14, 2025, your system will no longer receive security patches or feature updates, potentially leaving it open to security threats.

3. Can I upgrade from Windows 10 to Windows 11 for free?

Of course, you can. If your computer is ready for an upgrade, you can upgrade to Windows 11 for free, provided you are running a genuine version of Windows 10.

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