Windows 10 – RIL (Rest in Landfill)

Windows 10 was the begrudged update to fulfill by Microsoft Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 machines throughout the Windows deployment ecosystem. Now, it will be replaced with another operating system, Windows 11. However, there are a few issues we are pressed with though as we phase out of Windows 10 to Windows 11.

In the first stage, we are running into an issue where specific Windows 10 units cannot be updated to Windows 11. The primary factor is the lack of a TPM 2.0 chip. What is a TPM 2.0 chip? A TPM 2.0 is a trusted platform control model that stores critical information for platform authentication, such as passwords, fingerprints, certificates and encryption keys.

The second stage we are running into is what to do with these Windows 10 machines that are “un-upgradeable.” I may know what you are thinking: “Throw them away!” or “Can I keep using mine? I like it.” Here is the answer to the first: No. You cannot throw away electronics (regardless of whether you have erased them or not). The problem with throwing away electronics is the harsh elements that are used in constructing computer components and, of course, data. So, in reality, you must dispose of it by taking it to a recycling center and removing your drive. 

To answer the second question, “can I keep using it?” This one is not an easy one to answer. If you are a business, you should have an IT firm working with you to develop a roll-out plan for upgrading you to Windows 11. Windows 10 will reach the end of life on October 14th, 2025, which means they will not receive security updates. This also means you have one year to budget for new computers or set a time to update current ones if they can do so. If you are a non-business consumer, you will face the same issues if you do not update to Windows 11. Keep in mind that the life cycle of computers, both commercial and residential grade, is 3-5 years.

In summary, please don’t just “throw your computer away” into the trash or the landfill. Instead, bring it to a local IT company so they can destroy your data. Failure to do so may result in a large portion of your personal identifiable information (PII) being publicly accessed.