Two days ago I was working through my W10 devices doing the September updates when I was surprised to be offered free enrollment in the W10 Extended Support Updates program for some of them. But most did not get an offer, though they are all registered with one or the other of my MS accounts. This is very handy, since it postpones some decision making about how to fold in a post-W10 world. Like, after 14 Oct 2025 it does not strike me as a good idea to leave my elderly W10 devices connected to the net for many hours when all they need it for is a few minutes per day to receive raw WUs and send processed ones. There are many workarounds and I have implemented the "update devices" version, and tested "switch to Linux" versions, and excluded "paid 0Patch" and "hack to W11 on unsupported hardware/ hack back to LTSC IoT" and related options. Thus free ESU is quite a handy stopgap.
Miscellaneous Netbabble states that the W10 ESU rollout is being phased, and given the volume of W10 users it could hardly be otherwise, but I am curious about how it is affecting FaH donors. [Who knows, maybe MS could be persuaded to donate free ESU to folders? Yes I know, but ...
I guess you're in one of these cases with some of your machines :
Today, we’re introducing additional free enrollment options and the simple steps to get started.
Extended Security Updates for Windows 10:
For individuals: An enrollment wizard will be available through notifications and in Settings, making it easy to enroll in ESU directly from your personal Windows 10 PC. Through the enrollment wizard, you’ll be able to choose from three options:
Use Windows Backup to sync your settings to the cloud—at no additional cost..
Redeem 1,000 Microsoft Rewards points—at no additional cost..
Pay $30 USD (local pricing may vary).
Folding@Home beta tester since 2002. Folding Forum moderator since July 2008.
The Windows documentation on this particular free ESU enrollment is very variable and now I can't even re-find the link that told me about the specific conditions for this particular version. One condition was that that you had to be running 22H2 and latest updates thereof (latest meaning a date now passed, since one of the devices that MS enrolled in the ESU subsequently did the September 2025 updates. So far as that condition is concerned, the version number on this device I am typing on (Z605), which had the September 2025 updates, is: Edition Windows 10 Pro / Version 22H2 / OS Build 19045.6332. Z605 had not been offered ESU enrollment when I first posted, but today the offer arrived and I graciously accepted it. The top right corner of my "Windows Update" display in "Settings" now says "Your PC is enrolled to get Extended Security Updates". So clearly it is OK for a device built for W7 in 2011. I have now accepted the offer for four 2011 devices (Z602,Z604,Z605,Z803) and two from 2014 (Z442,Z443) and a 2016 ASUS Ultrabook..
The second condition referred to registration with a Windows account. All of my active W10 devices are registered with one of my MS accounts, and some with both. My reading of the conditions for free ESU enrolment was that the device had to be logged in with a Windows account, but in practice I received offers of ESU enrolment on devices whose only account was a local one, as well as those whose only account was one of the Windows ones.
so, I now have 7 devices enrolled, 3 that have not yet had an offer Z603,Z802,Z441 and one (Z601) that gets an offer but is stuck in a loop in which the account login fails on (correct) password and (correct) single-use email code, triggering a polite apology from MS saying the fault is probably at their end and I should try again, {repeat loop 6 times with no other change]. So the bottom line is that it is already Folding as usual for a year, since all the Z-series boxes have enough AUX power to run any of my GPUs.
One of my Windows system has a message in Windows Updates window that they will soon offer me options for after the end of the world ... but other systems don't show the same message yet.
Folding@Home beta tester since 2002. Folding Forum moderator since July 2008.