Windows 10 users after 14 October 2025

[wiggydiggy]

"Microsoft's Windows Defender anti-virus software will sporadically take over all hardware performance counters and use them in a way that reduces system performance significantly."

Google "Counter Control" - I was about to junk my W10 laptop when I discovered this.

Cheers. I had a quick skim of the top results and there are a couple of programs I'll try first.

 

[DaveReading]

Cheers. I had a quick skim of the top results and there are a couple of programs I'll try first.

That sounds like a sensible approach.

I suspect this is where you'll end up: https://www.techpowerup.com/download/counter-control/

I can't get over how much it has improved the performance of my machine. It's a bit of a pain that you need to re-run it every time the PC boots or wakes from sleep/hibernation, but that's a small price to pay.

 

[Alex321]

Thats just a case of you not explaining the terminology rather than her struggling with the tech.

Yes I know that. But it as more to illustrate how even intelligent and well educated people can be unaware of what we more tech minded people take for granted without even thinking about it, and which we often don't realise is not understood by most.

Those suggesting installing Linux, and saying "it isn't a steep learning curve" are speaking from the POV of somebody with a decent knowledge and understanding of computers (as I was then).

 

[CXRAndy]

My wife has always been reluctant to change devices. I bought her a new fast computer for Christmas last. She still hasn't used it, relying on her old works HP laptop. We've just done a PC health check and hers is the same as mine, incompatible CPU.

I will upgrade to win11 soon.

I also heard that Microsoft will stop updating for W11 for PCs that aren't fully compliant on 24H2 in 2026.

There is a chance 25H2 will be available for non compliant PC in September this year. Updates till 2028 for this newer version of W11. Obviously terms and conditions could change

 

[Ming the Merciless]

I also heard that Microsoft will stop updating for W11 for PCs that aren't fully compliant on 24H2 in 2026.

And W11 24H2 goes out of support in Oct 26, giving you just one year longer than W10.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Thanks for the continuing help. We've been away for a few days so no access to computer. Yes, I mean the USB port. During our 'break' I had a thought..... I was trying to access the SD cards (I'd tried a couple just in case the card was duff) with a 'converter' that plugs into the USB port - was the converter duff. So when we returned yesterday evening I tried plugging a known good USB stick into the USB, and alas it also didn't work. I also tried again to find new drivers for the USB ports, but the computer says they are working . Darned computers (confusers!) work great most of the time, but when they go bad they are a real PITA to sort out.

I've been trying to sort this problem since last Thursday. In desperation, having tried all USB driver updates, power demands etc we wondered if somehow both the USB memory stick and SD card adaptor could both be faulty. My Wife's iPad doesn't have a USB port (whyever don't they), so we dug out an old laptop and charged it. Lo-and-behold the USB memory stick and SD card (via adaptor) wouldn't work in the laptop ..... the plot thickened, as the laptop is also Win 10. Then we found another USB memory stick in the drawer, and the laptop read that. We tried it in the PC and it works! So it seems the PC has fried the USB stick and the SD card adaptor both at the same time, or at least in quick succession. For clarity, the SD card still works as expected and shows all photos when in the camera.

 

[ColinJ]

I'd be tempted to go at least another 12 months with 1 year of security updates from Microsoft. The first year isn't too bad price wise.

Less than 2 weeks to go now to the cut-off date, but I just discovered that the 1 year of extended security updates for Win 10 is now available free in the UK so I just signed up. (Go to Settings/Update & Security and you should find a link there.)

I will still upgrade my laptop later this year but I will wait to see what bargains are available around 'Black Friday'/'Cyber Monday'.

 

[FishFright]

Less than 2 weeks to go now to the cut-off date, but I just discovered that the 1 year of extended security updates for Win 10 is now available free in the UK so I just signed up. (Go to Settings/Update & Security and you should find a link there.)

I will still upgrade my laptop later this year but I will wait to see what bargains are available around 'Black Friday'/'Cyber Monday'.

Thanks I'd missed that . Good news as my new pc build having gone redacted up

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Just enabled the extra year of security updates. Windows 12 should be out by then

 

[ColinJ]

I am now thinking of Plan B...

The end of support for Win 10 was encouraging me to replace my laptop but it should be ok for another year now, except for the fact that its keyboard is falling apart. I also have an underpowered Android tablet with a cracked screen that could fail at any time...

Plan B is to buy a seriously upgraded tablet. Most of what I do could be done on that. Anything that needs Windows in the coming year could be done on the current laptop.

I will buy a really good Bluetooth keyboard to use with the laptop and tablet.

Unless it turns out that the new tablet meets all my computing needs, I will buy a new laptop next year.

 

[presta]

I just discovered that the 1 year of extended security updates for Win 10 is now available free in the UK so I just signed up. (Go to Settings/Update & Security and you should find a link there.)

Where, I can't see anything other than the paid option.

 

[ColinJ]

Where, I can't see anything other than the paid option.

Sorry, I don't have my laptop with me to check...

I remember that I had to log in to my Windows account to do it.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

You need to logged into a Microsoft for an admin account on your PC

 

[markemark]

You don’t need an Ms account to see the option to enable. I have local accounts and it has come up but you do need admin privileges.

You do however need and MS account to activate it. It’s also not free or even available in certain countries.