Category: Windows 10

Should I keep Windows 10?

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Tips, Win10, Windows, Windows 10, Windows 11

Free Microsoft support for Windows 10 is ending on October 14, 2025 which is Patch Tuesday. You should receive one last Patch Tuesday update although I can’t find confirmation of that on the Microsoft website.

If your current computer can take the upgrade, and you’re comfortable with a little change to your tech, go ahead and take the upgrade. If your machine can’t upgrade to Win11, keep using the Win10 machine until it has to be replaced.

Links and Info from Microsoft:

Here is a link to the page from Microsoft about the “End of Support“. This page is designed primarily to scare you – “upgrade now, or you’ll lose out on all the cool Microsoft features!”

What does the end of support for WIN10 mean? Here’s the explanation from Microsoft:

“After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11.”

As I wrote in an earlier blog, you can purchase Microsoft’s Extended Security Updates (ESU) Program and continue to receive security updates. From their “End of Support” page:

“ESU includes critical and important security updates only. It does not include new features, customer-requested non-security updates, or design change requests. ESU does not include technical support for Windows 10, except for assistance with ESU license activation and installation of ESU updates. No other technical support is available.”

Upgrade from Windows 10:

Whether you upgrade or not is really a personal decision depending on a few factors:
  • Do you have programs or applications that you rely on that will not work with Windows 11?
  • Is your current computer compatible with Windows 11. Does it have the RAM and memory needed to run the Operating System without noticeable slowdowns?
  • How comfortable are you with changes to your technology?

Can’t I just wait until Windows 12 is released?

The problem with this plan is that Microsoft has not said when Windows 12 will be released. However, going by past history, Microsoft releases a new Operating System approximately every 6 years. Win7 was released in 2009, Win10 in 2015, and Win11 in 2021. That places a yet-to-be-announced Win12 in the 2027 timeframe.

Worldwide resistance to Windows 11 shows Windows 10 still has impressive market share:

Here’s the view from the editor over at TechSpot:

“Editor’s take: Microsoft will end official mainstream support for Windows 10 in October, yet many users continue to stick with the old, reliable rather than upgrade to the Copilot-heavy Windows 11 experience. The OS’s stubborn popularity underscores user resistance to Microsoft’s push for its latest platform.

The latest Statcounter data on Windows market shares offers some surprising insight. Windows 10 is still growing in popularity while Windows 11 continues to struggle, even though the older operating system is just weeks away from losing support for most PC users.”

In that same article, TechSpot published this graph of Windows 10 usage vs. Windows 11 usage. People worldwide are reluctant to give up Win10.


Graph from TechSpot showing worldwide usage of Windows 10 slowly declining and Windows 11 increasing. The graph shows that Win11 has only 49% of the Windows market.

After October 14:

After October 14th, you may need to upgrade to Win11. (Remember that October 14 is Patch Tuesday, so your Win10 machine will probably get a patch that day.) Here are some things to consider:

  • Do you have any older programs or apps vital to your business or personal life? Check to make sure they will work with Windows 11. One customer had a genealogy program that couldn’t work with the upgraded Windows. We had to go in and back out the upgrade.
  • If you keep Win10 and want to receive regular security patches, you must purchase the Microsoft Extended Security Update programs. Be aware that this will only include security patches; no new features or Technical Support.
  • If you decide to keep WIN10 without the Extended Security program, practice digital hygiene by using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
  • Keep your anti-virus up to date,

If you’ve been considering getting a new machine, it will come with Windows 11 already installed.

Bottom Line – Windows 10 vs. Windows 11:

The short answer is No; you don’t need to consider the Windows 11 upgrade. Read the description from Microsoft to see if you’d like to see those changes in your Operating System.

For historical reading, here’s my blog from when Win7 transitioned to Win10.

Let us know if you want help selecting a new computer or upgrading your machine to Win11.

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Macs and PCs for the past twenty-plus years. You can find more on our website or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides on-site computer repair service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote PC and Mac service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Tips Here:

Need a new part?

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Mac's, Windows 10

For Geek For Hire, last week was all about installing new parts for our customers.  Chris replaced (or added) parts on new and older computers.  If you have a non-working part on your computer, don’t think you need to get a whole new computer just to get it to work!

  • For example, one customer had a non-functioning keyboard on his laptop.  Chris ordered a new keyboard from the manufacturer and installed it.  Another option is to get an external keyboard – either wired or Bluetooth.  Although your laptop is not quite as portable when you have to lug around a keyboard too!
  • Another customer got a new desktop computer but it came without a DVD drive.  Chris ordered a very high quality DVD drive for this customer.  He took the desktop apart, put the Drive in the right place and securely attached it to the inside.  Then he tested it to make sure it worked properly – both read and write functionalities.   (I wonder what movie they watched!)
  • A third customer needed more RAM which Chris was able to install.
  • Another customer ordered a new soundbar and asked Chris to install it for them.
  • Another customer woke up to a black screen.  Chris determined the problem was the monitor and not something internal to the machine.  A new monitor was ordered – problem solved!  (Sometimes there is a problem with the video card inside the computer which causes the monitor to not work.  Chris can replace those too.)

Other miracles Chris performed last week included bringing a MiniMac back from the dead, removing several hundred viruses from a MacBook Air, removing viruses from a Dell Windows 10 machine, and uninstalling Windows 10 and reinstalling Windows 7 on yet another machine.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fourteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more at http://www.GeekForHireInc.com Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free 2-3 day shipping and the online streaming. I haven’t tried the Kindle lending library yet, but I’m tempted! Prime is normally $99/year, but you can try it for 30 day for free by clicking on this link:  Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial

How do I … (fill-in-the-blank)…?

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Apple, Desktop, iMac, Mac's, Microsoft, PC's, Tips, Win10, Windows 10, Windows 8

How-To Books:

Like a lot of our customers, I try to figure things out for myself before I call in outside support and training. That is doubly true for learning new software and applications. If my friends can’t help, I type my request into Google. If that doesn’t work, I head to the bookstore. With that in mind, here are some books we recommend:

If you’re trying to learn Windows 10:

If you can’t figure out your Windows 8 machine:

If you need help learning how to navigate on your new Mac:

Microsoft Office

Open Office:

  • I’m trying to find a great book to recommend on using OpenOffice, a replacement for the (fairly expensive) Windows Office Suite. If there is a book that you love, please share the title with me and let me know why it’s so great!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fourteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more at http://www.GeekForHireInc.com Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area. Links to products may provide a small commission to Geek For Hire.

 

Windows 10 Update

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Data Backup, Hard Drive, Microsoft, Passwords, PC's, Tips, Win10, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows XP

Upgrading to Windows 10?

We continue to see machines that have upgraded to Windows 10 with serious problems.  And, I continue to get asked if machines should be upgraded.

Here’s the scoop:

  • If you have a Windows 7 machine, don’t upgrade unless you have a serious business need.
  • If you have a Windows 8 machine, you should be okay to upgrade, although you may still experience some issues
  • If you have a Windows XP or earlier machine, don’t (DO NOT!) upgrade.  Consider purchasing a new machine with Windows 8 or 10 already installed.

If you’re planning to upgrade do this first:

  • Back up your data.  Use an external Hard Drive if you have one, or upload to the Cloud
  • Make sure you have a list of all the programs and applications that you use.
  • Make sure you know what all of your passwords are, especially if you have asked your computer to remember them for you.
  • Make sure you know what your WiFi Router password is.

Tired of the Win10 “Nag” message?

I asked Chris how to get rid of the message that pops up frequently reminding you to UPGRADE NOW! WHILE IT’S STILL FREE!.  Here’s what he said:

  • “The only reliable method I’ve found so far to prevent a machine from presenting the “Get Windows 10 Upgrade” (GWX) nag message is to rename the GWX folder which contains the upgrade program.
    • See a small window icon in the tray, to the left of the clock in the task bar.
    • Go to the folder: “C:\Windows\System32” /and/ the “C:\Windows\SysWOW64”
    • Rename the “GWX” folder to something else – such as: “_GWX”, if it exists in either folder.  Note that you will see a popup titled “Folder Access Denied” and the message “You’ll need to provide administrator permission to rename this folder”.  Click on the “Continue” button to proceed with renaming the GWX folder.
    • Reboot your machine.
    • See that the small window icon is not present, and note that it does /not/ reappear”

If you have any questions about upgrading, give us a call

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fourteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more at http://www.GeekForHireInc.com Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area.
Shop Amazon – Contract Cell Phones & Service Plans

Windows 10 Advice – Revised

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Microsoft, Win10, Win8, Windows 10, Windows 7, Windows 8

A few weeks ago, I asked Chris about Windows 10. Should I upgrade right away, or wait awhile?  What should I tell our customers and readers of the blog? His answer was basically:

“Unless you have a reason to stay with your current operating system (and especially if you have Win8), it should be fine to upgrade.”

Well, he’s changed his mind.

Windows 10 has been plagued with issues, especially for computers without the capacity to properly run it. So, if you have Windows XP, or Windows Vista machine without a modern processor and upgraded RAM, you should do those upgrades first, or consider a new machine with Windows 10 already installed.

Chris has also talked with other people that have upgraded with zero problems.  One guy said that the upgrade “breathed new life into his laptop”.  Chris added:

“Of course, it could just be that we’re only getting calls from folks who are having issues!”

Another huge issue with Windows 10 that is just starting to come to light, is the amount of information that Microsoft collects. The collected data isn’t just for targeted advertising  A recent article in Wired states:

“Of course, Microsoft’s privacy statement outlines all the data that is collected, and you agreed to this when you downloaded Windows 10 and checked the terms of service.

In this Age of the Unread Terms of Service Agreement, it’s important to, well, read the ToS. It’s too easy for our technologies to gather personal information without our realizing it. Microsoft is far from the only perpetrator…”

Of course, in order to actually use Windows 10, you do have to agree to the Terms of Service. Once the new Operating System is installed, you should change the privacy and tracking settings.

So Chris’ new advice is to wait until you have a real need before installing the Windows 10 Operating System. Windows 10 doesn’t really give you much more than Windows 7. You don’t really need to run right out and get it now.  If you’ve already upgraded to Windows 10, what was your experience?

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PC’s for the past fourteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website.  Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

Windows 10 Upgrade

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Microsoft, Tips, Win10, Windows 10

If you’ve got any version of Windows, from XP to Windows 8, you’ve likely seen the new little icon on the bottom of your screen. It looks something like this:

Get Windows 10The current information available is that this is a free upgrade offer from Microsoft It is available for a limited time.  After the free offer expires, the upgrade will cost around $200.  Microsoft is saying that the upgrade will be ready on July 29th.

I asked Chris why our customers should (or should not) upgrade to Windows 10.  Here’s what he said.

Reasons to get the Windows 10 upgrade:

  1. It’s a free way to get the next version of the Windows operating system.  My computer has Windows 7 Professional 64 bit, and I was presented with the choice to receive the new operating system as a free upgrade.
  2. This is the general direction of where Microsoft is going with the operating system, and you are probably better off with it than without it.
  3. There has been discussion about the Windows 10 user interface being more like Windows 7 than Windows 8. Since Windows 10 has not yet been released to the public, what it is is still an unknown.

Reasons not to get it:

  1. If you have applications that require Windows 7 or XP, or there is a concern because those applications have not yet been tested to work with Windows 10.
  2. If you need to reinstall the operating system onto your hard drive or SSD in the future, you’ll have to install the previous version of the Operating System, but may not be able to receive the update to Windows 10 without paying for it.

The upgrade may not include an installation disk, which would allow a clean install of the Windows 10 operating system in the future.

More information about the upgrade can be found on Microsoft’s website. http://www.microsoft.com/EN-US/windows

Apple has been offering OS upgrades as digital downloads through their App Store for years, and no one is complaining.  The no-media upgrade process tends to work, even though it takes several hours to download (1-4H depending on the speed of your line to the Internet) and install (1-2H depending on the speed of your computer and the speed of your hard drive).

However, I think this will be the first Operating System upgrade that Microsoft is doing that is a digital download.  The Windows Operating System Upgrade is inherently more complex than the Apple Operating System Upgrade, because Windows runs on many more machines from different manufacturers (Dell, Lenovo, Toshiba, HP,  etc., etc.,) than the Apple software does (which is exactly one: Mac’s).  The Apple environment is proprietary and “closed”, eg: you are licensed to only run the Apple Operating System on Apple hardware, where the Microsoft Operating System does not have this constraint.  Apple doesn’t charge for new versions of its Operating System, but Microsoft traditionally has.

Let us know if you have any questions about Windows 10!

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. Prime is usually $119/year, but you can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.