[roomey]

I assumed it was because windows 10 went out of support a few months ago

[1-6]

Windows 11 doesn't support Intel CPUs older than 8th gens. Linux is no longer an alternative, it's a lifeline for many old yet very capable machines.

What is Microsoft trying to do by ending Windows 10 support?

[the__alchemist]

I believe it does, but only from a clean install, rather than an in-place upgrade; I ran into this a few years ago.