I'm guessing quite a few of OzBargainers bought surface pro 5 in the amazing sub $240 deals in the last 12 months.
I've been really enjoying mine. However, there is a catch. It has Windows 10 and can't be updated to windows 11 (you see error saying system is not compatible). Windows 10 is end of life in October 2025.
Just curious what are you guys planning to do when this happens?
Yeah correct its not the surface wil blow up on that date. Duh. Life will go on…
Pretty risky to use without security updates. I would definitely go Win11 or Linux.
Not until there's an exploit discovered and publicly patched and released.
Even then a lot of the times if it's a bad one Microshit will patch it despite the EOL status
Security fixes are pretty commonly in the monthly roll-up patch.
You may get a patch for a WannaCry level exploit, but your system would still not be secure.
@Aureus: Pretty sure the exploit WannaCry used (EternalBlue) was already patched… it only worked against unpatched systems.
In just the June Security Patch for Windows 11 there were 55 vulnerabilities patched, check for yourself here which one are you waiting for to be exploited?
Keep using win10 until buying a new device.
But if you really want to have win11, there are unoffical workarounds for intel gen 7 cpus to update to win11.
https://www.tomshardware.com/how-to/bypass-windows-11-tpm-re…
Seems complicated. Is there any hack that works without the install stick.
If its too complicated, just ditch it and buy a new Surface. Up to you.
Easiest solution is this batch script, https://github.com/AveYo/MediaCreationTool.bat
just save/download the MediaCreationTool.bat to your local drive
then open your Windows administrator account and run it.
If it sounds risky, rest assured, it's open source, doesn't mess up your license or anything. It downloads everything from Microsoft and installs the latest version of Windows for you. I've tested it on about a dozen PCs over the last 6 months and not on of them had an issue with the upgrade.
Aureus' comment from below
You won't log on to your email, banking, social media, password managers etc and won't store any data you care about? If not I guess it wouldn't matter.
Which will you continue using on Windows 10?
End of life for softwares normally means end of support or no more feature development. You will not get security updates after EOL but you can keep using it untill the end of times of your surface pro
If you have no data on there worth stealing then does it matter if it doesn't get security updates anymore?
You won't log on to your email, banking, social media, password managers etc and won't store any data you care about? If not I guess it wouldn't matter.
Huh im using win 11 after a week from purchasing.
How did you upgrade?
By just following the simple instructions already posted - https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/15418098/redir
As previously pointed out, if you want windows 11 you can still install it yourself.
Also Oct 2025 is more than a year away, do people really plan their devices that far ahead?
At the time I'll work out the ways to upgrade more easily especially as I hardly use the device (perhaps once a week)
I'm more worried about my other HP Spectre laptop as that also can't get W11
Bypass the Windows 11 installation restrictions, keep using unsupported Windows 10, switch to Windows 10 2021 LTSC IoT that has support until 2032…take your pick.
Or switch to Windows 11 IoT Enterprise LTSC with no install restrictions…
I am still using an even older Surface Pro.
Pretty trivial to bypass install restrictions for Win11… just a google away.
i've already thrown mine in the garbage as it doesn't support windows 11. /sarcasm typed on my 2013 Dell Optiplex
Well, I've got Windows 11 on mine
Download Rufus ISO maker and download the Windows 11 ISO and then make a bootable USB stick with the bypass options for RAM,SEcureboot,TPM and then install windows 11.
We have around 7 of these at work. Planning to get MS apps running on kvm hypervisor and move them to Linux. Most comfortable with Debian so probably start trialing Ubuntu 24.04.1 LTS when it releases
Windows 10 just doesn't cease to exist on that date. You can keep using it.
I'm sure there are/will be workarounds for a W11 install on a surface pro 5. Google Rufus windows 11 surface pro 5.