It's things like this that make me wonder why people aren't moving to Linux in droves. Windows is like getting sodomized with a broomstick, and just saying "well it plays my games" while shrugging. Like, I'm constantly getting articles in my news feed about how Windows breaks or removes something that greatly hinders productivity, or like your claims about Microsoft's obvious anti-consumerism. I just don't get why people don't value their time and experience more than this.
Also, I didn't come here to just rant about Windows. Sorry it turned into that, but this does offer a great Segway. OP, install Linux. With aging hardware like yours, you're likely going to have a much better time. If you want something that'll feel familiar, and be easy to use, I recommend LMDE. As an added bonus, it's one of the few distros that still offer a 32bit variant, so it's rather easy to install on legacy machines.
https://linuxmint.com/download_lmde.php
Just use Rufus to create an install USB, boot into it, and click "Next" a bunch until it's installed. It's as easy as installing Windows.