Operating System

I have 3 computers that go online in my home/office. They all use XP-SP3. They are behind a new router and have updated AV software. They are backed up weekly with Macrium Pro. My computer literate friend tell me I should update to Win7 or later. I do not have the time and/or ambition to learn Linux well enough to run my home/office.

I wondered if the MG crowd had any ideas or suggestions.........

Thanks,

Al

 

Your friend is right.
If you have to replace a motherboard on one PC, you will in all probability also have to replace the CPU & RAM. And you'll have to buy a newer version of Windows. In the mean time, keep you're AV up to date and install a firewall like Privatefirewall.
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/privatefirewall.html

FYI I use Windows XP only offline.

 

alcyn...

The transition from XP to 7 is as natural as could possibly be expected. Eldon is correct, however, it probably would makes sense to find PCs with a motherboard you can replace before you install Windows 7 on anything. This is because, when a motherboard goes, you can still reuse the Windows key as long as the motherboard is the identical brand/model as the one that was in the PC previously. You could also go with a more modern board in your current PCs, but mounts could be an issue, depending on the make/model.

New motherboard is like starting over. You will naturally find yourself into processor and RAM upgrades that honestly make sense if you are moving to W7, and then you will probably want to go with 6 GB hard drives. Hard for me to believe you aren't looking for replacement PCs for what you have now.

Maybe you could find a great deal on some off-lease PCs on ebay and just make sure you buy ones (they sell them in bulk many times or you can select as many as you like, etc.) that has a working 7 key and that you know you can find new replacement motherboards for. With i series hardware, there isn't any need to upgrade for office PCs at all, so as long as you have spare motherboards (the same make/model as the original board) for replacement when one goes bad, then you have everything you need to go 8-10 years without changing anything but occasional RAM and hard drives. No need to pay MS for anything. Even your old images will work on the exact same motherboard.

...well, almost anything. Did I neglect the upgrade to W10? That is only free from W7 through July 29.

I guess we're all going to have to go for W10, although I confess I liked much better the transition from XP to 7 than the one from 7 to 10, based on the usage I have had with 10. Going to be some key issues to get to know about 10 such as controlling updates...

 

Would the firewall keep my systems safe?

 

No. A firewall adds a level of security but there are unpatched things on an XP computer and every time you take it on the internet, there are people scanning computers for any outdated versions of things, especially Java and flash, to compromise the computer.

I'd image the computers. That way if you get hit with ransomware, where all your files are encrypted, you'd restore the newest image and be back in business.

1. If you do not need it, remove Java using something like Revo uninstaller. Java had a nasty habit of keeping old unsecure versions on a computer when it updated.
2. Turn flash off. I have mine set to "ask to activate".
3. Don't use Internet Explorer. It is very insecure in XP.
4. Get malwarebytes (you can use the free version) and scan with it when you get off the internet.

 

I thought the operating behind a router with NAT kept out intruders.

 

What you do on the internet... is infinitely more important than any security you have on the PCs.

FYI I was on the internet for almost a month whithout any AV program. And here I still am.

 

If that were true, you wouldn't see so many posts of people with malware because almost everyone on broadband has more than one device to get on the internet so router use is pretty common.