As the October 2025 end-of-support deadline for Windows 10 approaches, the new episode of the Universal Tech Units Podcast (from Speed Nguyen's Deep Dive Podcast) outline the various security risks and transition strategies available to users. While Microsoft advocates for a Windows 11 upgrade or the purchase of new hardware, many older computers lack the necessary TPM 2.0 or CPU requirements. To address this, experts suggest technical workarounds like using the Rufus utility or registry hacks to bypass hardware checks, or adopting lightweight third-party alternatives such as Tiny11. For those remaining on the older operating system, paid Extended Security Updates (ESU) from Microsoft or memory-patching services like 0patch offer temporary protection against emerging vulnerabilities. Alternatively, the sources highlight Linux distributions—particularly Linux Mint and Zorin OS—and ChromeOS Flex as viable, free ways to repurpose aging hardware. Ultimately, the documentation emphasizes that continuing to use unsupported software without a mitigation plan invites significant threats from unpatched malware and compliance failures.