Microsoft makes Windows 10 extended security updates free in EEA
windowscentral.comThe news here is that users in the EEA are not required to sign in with a Microsoft account to get the free updates.
And it looks like that is not correct:
https://www.windowslatest.com/2025/09/26/no-youll-still-need...
Yep, thanks for clarifying.
So it's not such a good deal after all and it also means that a lot of regular people won't get those updates (because they either don't know how or can't be bothered to make an account).
I wonder how they detect you are in the EEA? What if you are not in the EEA, but connect to an EEA-based VPN? If you enrol while you are in EEA but then travel out of it, does the device remain enrolled?
Maybe for which market your license was created?
I'm willing to run Windows 10 without security updates. Not going to be bullied into downgrading.
I will even pay so my computers never ever connected MS servers! Just no idea who to pay or how technically accomplish such stunt :) And yes, I use not-a-Windows os'es everywhere, just one comp for gaming :)
Use windows build in firewall, or if you are intimidated by its bad UI install Windows Firewall Control https://www.binisoft.org/wfc.php and set Outbound connections to blocked. Then you can punch holes on a program by program basis starting with DNS/DHCP.
I seriously doubt one computer firewall can give complete protection to that same computer os.
And black lists are uncomplete lists not to mention changes in dns and not to mention possible hardcoded unknown addresses. And white listing game or two and yt and netflix etc is a lot of work, probably with temporal success...
Windows just is not open source... Without NDA. And even with it - is it possible to compile your own Windows binaries and install it ?
1 if windows firewall had hardcoded gaps it would fail DOD and government requiems
2 no lists. You set it to DENY ALL and then punch holes just for your own programs. One caveat is disabling DNS Cache service so that you can granularly control which apps can have dns access.