Windows 10 End-of-Life Hardware Budgeting
Microsoft has enacted strict hardware compatibility requirements for the next release of its Windows operating system, Windows 11. OIT has been tracking and analyzing these support requirements, which impact roughly 40% of the PSU Windows computer fleet as of January 2024. To keep the community at PSU informed, we have produced the following guidance around hardware support and the upcoming timeframes for migration from Windows 10 to Windows 11.
Microsoft support for Windows 10 is slated to end on October 14th, 2025. After that date, Microsoft will no longer provide security patches for Windows 10, so PSU systems that cannot upgrade to Windows 11 by that date will need to be secured in another fashion.
The options for computers that cannot be replaced by October 24th, 2025, due to compatibility requirements could include the following and are subject to change as the situation evolves over the next few years:
- Reinstallation of the Operating System to the Long Term Servicing Channel (LTSC) version
- This version of Windows will include security patches for an additional 2-4 years, but LTSC versions are missing many features that users have likely become used to on Windows 10, and will represent a significant user experience change.
- There is no supported way to migrate to LTSC except to wipe and reload the Operating System on a given piece of hardware.
- Firewall sanctioning similar to Windows XP, Windows 7, and other legacy OSes
- Systems will only be able to access network resources internal to PSU and will have no internet access.
- Approval required. A Jira request form will be linked here over the summer of 2024.
The above two options should be used only when necessary to maintain compatibility with software that will not run on Windows 11.
The primary goal of providing this information is to provide the PSU campus community with tools to start planning how they can replace older hardware and ensure that users are minimally affected by the heightened security requirements Microsoft has implemented for Windows 11.
Microsoft primarily supports Intel Generation 8 or newer processors, which corresponds roughly to the following Dell hardware models as the oldest that may be supported for Windows 11:
- Optiplex 5060
- Latitude 7490
Refer to the additional reference links below for specific Microsoft support requirements and the full list of Dell hardware that supports Windows 11 - but please note that in some cases, Dell shipped a single model with both an Intel Gen7 and later an Intel Gen8 processor. Models on the edge of support should be cross-referenced on the spreadsheet below.
Please reference the following spreadsheet of active systems that do not meet the hardware requirements for Windows 11:
PSU Windows 11 Unsupported Hardware
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For departments that plan to purchase replacement computers, we are organizing a bulk purchase with Dell to achieve a better discount. If this interests you, please fill out our Bulk Order Request for FY 2024.
Information about purchasing computers for use at PSU is available here:
Purchase a Computer for Use at PSU.
OIT is committed to partnering with and supporting equipment budgeting and purchasing managers in addressing this shift. Feel free to submit a ticket to the OIT Helpdesk at go.pdx.edu/help if you have any follow-up questions.
References: