Keep your old PC running.
Plain-English help for older Windows computers. What to do about Windows 10, how to move your stuff to a new PC, and the upgrades that make a slow one usable again.
By Brandon Sheley, who has worked in IT for over 20 years.
Guides by topic
All 45 guides →Windows 10 & 11
Security updates, ESU, and whether your PC can run Windows 11.
Linux & ChromeOS
Free systems that keep an old PC useful after Windows 10.
Speed & upgrades
Find out why a PC is slow, then fix it with an SSD, more memory, or a new battery.
Buying a used PC
Refurbished business PCs, the old ThinkPads worth buying, and how to tell a PC's age.
Homelab & old hardware
Mini PCs, old servers, and classic machines, and what they're still good for.
Backups, wiping & recycling
Move your files, erase the old computer, and get rid of it the right way.
Questions people ask me
- Were Windows 10 updates extended to 2027?
- Is Windows 10 still safe to use in 2026?
- Can my PC run Windows 11?
- What do I do about the Secure Boot certificates expiring?
- How old is my computer?
- Why isn't the Windows 10 ESU "Enroll now" button showing?
- Why is my computer so slow?
- Should I upgrade my old PC or replace it?
- How do I clone a hard drive to an SSD?
- How do I transfer files to a new computer?
- How do I wipe a computer before selling it?
- What should I do with an old laptop?
- What's the best old ThinkPad to buy?
Who's writing this
I'm the only IT person for a Kansas nonprofit, supporting about 150 people and their devices, and on the side I pick up old servers, switches, and computers from Topeka businesses and break them down for recycling. At home I keep a handful of older machines around, Lenovos especially.
So I spend a lot of time around old PCs, and most of them have more life left than people think. More about me and my old hardware.
How I write these
Every guide has a date on it. When Microsoft moves a deadline or part prices change, I fix the page and change the date. If a techy word can't be avoided, I explain it, and if the free option is good enough, I say that instead of pointing you at something to buy.