Microsoft ended official support for Windows 10 on October 14, 2025. That means no more security patches for the operating system that still runs on hundreds of workstations across Bardstown and Nelson County small businesses.
“No more security patches” doesn't sound urgent until you realize what it actually means: attackers know exactly which vulnerabilities Microsoft is not fixing anymore. Every Windows 10 machine is now a permanently open target.
Your Three Real Options
Option 1: Upgrade to Windows 11 (Free, if Hardware Supports)
If your PC has a compatible CPU (roughly 2018 or newer Intel/AMD chip), TPM 2.0, and at least 4GB of RAM, you can upgrade to Windows 11 at no cost. The upgrade takes about 30-60 minutes per PC and preserves your files and apps.
How to check: Download Microsoft's free PC Health Check tool. It tells you in 10 seconds whether your PC can run Windows 11. Rough rule of thumb: PCs bought new after 2019 usually qualify; PCs from before then usually don't.
Option 2: Replace the PC
If your PC is 5+ years old, upgrading is often the wrong call even when it's technically possible. Modern Windows 11 hardware is faster, more reliable, has better battery life, and will get security updates for another 8-10 years. A new business laptop from Lenovo or Dell runs $700-$1,200 with a Windows 11 Pro license included.
Reality check: If you're spending $200-$400 on labor to squeeze another year out of an old machine, that money went further toward a new one.
Option 3: Pay Microsoft for Extended Security Updates (ESU)
Microsoft is offering paid security updates for Windows 10 through October 2028. Pricing:
- Year 1 (Oct 2025-Oct 2026): $61 per PC
- Year 2 (Oct 2026-Oct 2027): $122 per PC (doubles)
- Year 3 (Oct 2027-Oct 2028): $244 per PC (doubles again)
Total cost: $427 per PC over 3 years. Compared to a new $900 laptop that would last 5-7 years and get security updates the whole time, ESU is a Band-Aid, not a solution.
When ESU actually makes sense: A specific line-of-business application that only runs on Windows 10, buying you time to migrate. Otherwise, don't.
What We See Most Often in Nelson County Offices
The typical small business we audit has a mix:
- A few newer machines (2021+) that can upgrade to Win 11 for free, do these first
- A handful of 2018-2020 machines that are borderline, run PC Health Check on each and decide case-by-case
- A few old workhorses (2016-2018) still in the corner, time to replace
The Real Cost of Waiting
Every month you stay on Windows 10 without ESU, your PCs accumulate unpatched vulnerabilities. A ransomware attack on an unpatched Windows 10 machine costs a small business $10,000-$50,000+ to recover from, way more than the cost of migrating a whole office to Windows 11.
And your cyber insurance policy? Read the fine print. Many now specifically exclude coverage for incidents involving unsupported operating systems.
What To Do This Month
- Take inventory. Count every Windows PC in the business.
- Run PC Health Check on each to categorize into: (a) upgrade-eligible, (b) replace-needed, (c) borderline.
- Prioritize replacement for PCs handling sensitive data (accounting, customer records, admin accounts).
- Budget for 12-24 month migration. Most small businesses can't replace everything at once. Plan a rolling upgrade.
Windows 10 isn't going to get better. Every month you wait is another month of exposure. Start the plan now.
Still running Windows 10? Let's do an audit.
We'll check every PC in your office, tell you what can upgrade for free, what needs replacing, and give you a realistic budget for the transition.
Request a Windows 10 Audit