# Windows Xp Support Loss?



## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

I understand that Windows XP support (ie upgrades and protection) is to go in April. My good lady's pc runs XP. Any suggestions from the compter teccies? :wallbash:

Mike


----------



## JTW (Jun 14, 2007)

This link http://www.expertrev...-your-pc-secure is quite informative, you could of course go down the Linux path (Ubuntu or Mint would be my choice) but then there would be new software to get used to. If you have software that runs under XP and that you absolutely need it may be possible to run it under linux using WINE (Wine Is Not an Emulator). This is not for the faint hearted though, don't believe anyone who claims it is totally straightforward.

Good luck.


----------



## mel (Dec 6, 2006)

If it ain't broke, why fix it? :yes:

My desktop runs XP nad has no probs - - I feel I've got my money's worth out of it (the desktop) and whether I'll replace it anyways if it goes :focus: I don't know, given the plethora of Laptops and things that are portable?

Generally speaking, learning Linux based stuff is not as intuitive as Linux folks claim - - you need to have the right mindset to start with - - and at my age, talking about mounting and unmounting is confusing, Mrs Mel won't help there!









I think I'll just keep using the XP trill it dies completely, I have all I need at present. Survey what your missus uses it for, is it working well? How old is the machine, how much longer do you expect to get out of it? watch LIDL and ALDI for a bargain? alongside the Lurpak butter and the Tempranillo wine! :lol:


----------



## tixntox (Jul 17, 2009)

As I understand the issue, the problem is that XP will get no security updates. This will make your PC extremely vulnerable, so it will "die" very quickly and may take your security with it?

http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/The-hidden-threats-facing-your-unsupported-XP-devices

Mike


----------



## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

I've been pondering this one for a while and not wanting to get Windows 8 as I don't like the interface and I doubt it will run the important software that I have used for a while. .... I'm going for Windows 7 Pro and that will last me long enough to then go up to Windows 9 (Threshold I believe they are calling it) which should be coming out Spring/Summer 2015. I will probably move to that though when the final support for Windows 7 goes the way that XP is going.

All the experts are saying that XP will become a security risk when support stops in April and although I keep a pretty secure set-up, the things I have on my computer are too important to lose and with things like Cryptolocker around these days, there are just too many nasties to take the risk......


----------



## rhaythorne (Jan 12, 2004)

Windows XP is one of my favourite Operating Systems. But, to be honest, it is getting a bit long in the tooth!

But there there are some less well-known tricks to help keep it going securely:

Try the Microsoft Enhanced Mitigation Experience Toolkit (EMET) which helps to protect against some common attacks,

Also have a look at the good old DropMyRights which allows you to log in as administrator but can lower your rights and privileges when surfing the Internet for example.

Or Microsoft SysInternals PSExec:

Read and check out the -l and -d parameters. These do the same as DropMyRights.


----------



## Jeremy Fisher (Jan 28, 2012)

The issue is more with XP for business use than personal. Many businesses (including major corporations) still use some computers and servers running XP. Lack of support effectively means that all big companies must switch to a later OS by the end of April.

For home users, you don't need anything more than a basic anti-virus, firewall and maybe anti-adware to keep your PC healthy.

Home users should be fine as there are a lot of alternatives, both free and paid, to Microsoft Security Essentials & windows firewall.

They (IT techs) have been literally unplugging PCs and switching them with windows 7 machines at work this week.


----------



## bdc (Jan 15, 2008)

Don't forget that Office 2003 also goes off support in April and so leaves another potential vulnerability, particularly as you probably use Outlook as your e-mail package.


----------



## YuriLori (Feb 24, 2014)

Love how no one mentions Win 8 

Ill await the stable Win10 MilleniumVista3000 Ed


----------



## tom (Jun 2, 2003)

Try Ubuntu with the XFC desktop and libre office, rhythm box , chrome, thunderbird mail and you can junk micro soft.

Tom


----------



## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

We're doing *lots *of XP W7 upgrades at work at present; one of the bugbears is getting drivers for older XP machines to enable the hardware to operate with W7.

Did one yesterday and had to leave several devices without drivers... to be fair this was a 5 year old Viglen and their own test program specifically said "This machine is not compatible with W7!"

But it's working.

As has been said, the major issue will be the discontinuance of security updates and the consequent vulnerability of XP when online.

MS have a minimum spec of 1GB of memory for W7, which is, IME, low... 2GB or more works better. If you have, or can add memory to this level it may be viable to upgrade

I have an XP W7 migration tool which installs W7 without any disk formatting and places all the redundant XP files in a folder for selective restoration; Documents etc.

Avoid 8 and 8.1 for older machine upgrades.

Had a spate of Crypto virus incidents, where your files are all locked and held to ransom; if you get an email appearing to come from Royal Mail, be VERY wary about anything it asks you to install/run/push Button! We've had to scrub and rebuild from clean backups, a number of machines...

Coming soon, Server2003 eol.


----------



## DJH584 (Apr 10, 2013)

It's a shame that XP is going, Alongside Windows NT, upon which XP was based , they have to be the best OS that Micro$oft have ever produced.

I'm now running Windows 7 Home Premium but it's not a scratch on XP and NT.

As for Windows 8? No thank you - roll on Windows 10!!!

Regards

David


----------



## Cleisthenes (Feb 28, 2014)

YuriLori said:


> Ill await the stable Win10 MilleniumVista3000 Ed


Sounds like a winner :thumbup:


----------



## Lynn0916 (Dec 31, 2013)

I get accustomed to XP. I don't want to change it.


----------



## chris l (Aug 5, 2005)

Lynn0916 said:


> I get accustomed to XP. I don't want to change it.


The cry that I get from the majority of users!

But Mr Gates, he say no...


----------



## Molotov (Mar 7, 2014)

Chinese will now take over MS job of writing the updates


----------



## artistmike (May 13, 2006)

Well I've just bitten the bullet and bought a new computer to upgrade from XP to Windows 7 for the time being until Windows 9 or "Threshold " as I believe it may be called, is ready. ...Just so I'm ready for that upgrade when it comes I had a nice machine built by PCSpecialist with an eight core AMD processor.... Wow it's fast ! ....  Windows7 seems fine too and easy to make it behave like XP which I really did like and of course it runs the older applications like Adobe that I had on XP, which saves me upgrading them... Seems to have worked out quite well altogether so far  ....


----------

