ITT: People who talk about Linux (as if that was the subject) because they just can’t accept that some people actually need to use Windows and might find articles like this one useful.

If you need Windows, don’t run it on hardware that doesn’t support Windows 11. If you need it, do it the right way, so you can count on it working.

Now, what do you do with your old hardware? There are plenty of good ideas in the comments here.

Or instead of installing Linux as a workaround and having to learn how to use a new OS and having to troubleshoot a ton of inevitable issues to make it work as well as the setup you’re used to just… Use a workaround to skip the hardware requirement! In the end both are a way to work around Microsoft’s requirements, one is something you need to deal with once just requiring you to follow a guide and you’re done, the other will be an ongoing learning process.

How long with working around the requirements work? If I need Windows, I’m not going to risk it.

Then get newer hardware, simple as that, anything from 2017 or more recent will work.