Keeping on using XP for a long time.

My Windows Secrets newsletter,

has a great article by Fred Langa, this week.

- And Much More!
-Main Features: (see the link above. Too much to list here.)

This newsletter is FREE weekly. You can also get a "Paid for" version by making a donation of whatever you can afford.

Well worth printing out this article on XP, IMO, for future reference.

Bazza

 

I got my Windows Secrets newsletter in this morning's mail and I found that article by Fred Langa very interesting. He also gave links to several FREE programs that could be real helpful too. (more so for the technician than the casual user)

Like so many, I hope to still be using Windows XP-Pro-SP3 for many years to come.

XP Rocks!

:cool

 

From that Windows Secrets Newsletter • Issue 255 • 2010-08-12 •

The Kellys-Korner article, "System Restore for Windows XP," tells you how to manage it.

Terabyte Unlimited's geeky-but-powerful $35 BootItNG is a partition and multi-boot manager
that combines the features of several stand-alone products.

 

Ya, I'll stick with XP until hardware gives up, or until 2014 or me. This machine is *only* 6 years young, at least 11.3333x younger than me. :innocent In my eyes XP was born yesterday. :-D

 

Anything new I build will get Win7, but I intend to stick to XP Pro on my "main" computer for a long while yet. It's pushing six years old, and while it would support Win7 right now as is, I'd have to update the ram somewhat to meet my requirements - and the original DDR ram is too expensive to make the whole thing cost effective (around $160 bucks to go from 2gig to just 4gig!).

I am under the impression that XP with SP3 is being moved into the "extended" support phase, which means they will still provide security updates - but no free technical support, warranty claims and OS improvements will occur. I can live with that.

 

Gads!!!! Where on earth are you buying your RAM?
Surf to "Crucial.com" and download and take their scan test. That will tell you exactly what ram you need to max out your PC and the cost of it and I can almost guarantee you it won't be anywhere near $160. I use that all the time for my customers and they like the fact that they can order their new ram right there on the site, using their debit or credit cards. At least take a look. That costs you nothing.

As for using XP into the next decade....WHY NOT? When was the last time you actually got any support from MS. MS and support are two words that don't even belong in the same paragraph. In thirty years I have yet to get the first support from Microshaft. Don't need it, Don't want it and won't wait around for it. I definitely Won't PAY for it.

The aftermarket programmers are jumping in to tackle the task of keeping XP interesting, with more Tweaks and speed secrets and some really great new themes. I have a theme I found on-line called "Dark Realm". It's absolutely Beautiful, painting all the window headers and footers in GOLD. Here's just one example, I call this picture, "Dark Defrag".
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g90/DrWho1943/DarkDefrag-1.jpg

Actually, it's not the result of Defrag, but the result of doing a Ghost backup followed immediately by a Ghost restore. The entire C drive is re-written in perfect order with NO spaces and NO fragmentation. This is all done in DOS, so windows doesn't get involved in the process at all.
Oh well, that's a whole different topic. (Sorry!)

We're just beginning to see the tip of the ice-burg, as to what the aftermarket programmers can do with XP. But, by all means, DO get SP3 if you can. XP just isn't complete without it.
Sp2 was really great because it gave us a great little Firewall, but support for SP2 is quickly going away. Support for SP3 will continue for some time. I just got several updates to my own XP-SP3 last night, including Internet Explorer 7 with all its own updates. Now, maybe, I can get IE8 as well. Time will tell. IE8 isn't a biggie, because I use Firefox exclusively.

Cheers Mates!
The Shadow :cool

 

Kestrel13,
If you'll just run a good, (FREE) security package, like I use, you'll NEVER get infected. The OS doesn't prevent you from getting infected, your Security software package does.

Don't EVER rely on just one company to fully protect you. Security suites are a joke, because they are all written by the same programmers who have their own idea of how to protect a PC.

What you need is at least three different programs from three different companies.

I have literally Hundreds of PC customers and I protect them all as well as myself with the same Security Software. Here's what I use (all FREE):
AVG 9.0 FREE (Anti-Virus)
Spybot Search & Destroy (Anti-Spyware/ Anti-Trojan)
Spyware Blaster (a great Spyware Blocker)
and sometimes, Malware Bytes (great Anti-Malware program)

YOU have to keep yourself safe from Malware.....Microshaft isn't going to do that for you. OK?

Cheers!
Shadow :cool

 

Absolutomunde correctomundo!!!

Both Spybot S&D and Spyware Blaster pass off a list of BAD web sites to the browsers (both IE and Firefox) to prevent them from downloading Malware. It actually works pretty good to keep a PC protected, where the operator isn't too careful about where they browse.

AVG 9.0 is not just a good Anti-Virus program but this latest version also protects from trojans and spyware too. Not bad, for a freebie!

Thanks!
Shadow :cool

 

When I'm setting up a computer for a new customer, I have to analyze the family situation to know just how much protection they need. Asking a few key questions about their use of the computer and their browsing habits tells me just how much protection they are going to require.
When young children are also using the computer, unattended, that's a whole different matter. With the parents permission, I also install "Hosts Manager" which downloads and installs a custom Hosts file, that blocks thousands of bad web sites.

I then show the 'parents' how to shut off the hosts file so that they can go to sites that may be on the 'bad' list. Shame on them, if they ever show the kids how to do that! All bets are OFF at that point.

Cheers!
:cool

 

Sure bigbazza, XP is now a really good OS after all the tweaking and I can't find a decent enough reason to move up if everything that you need to do is going just fine. Heck, I know a store owner who still uses an XT and Win. 3.xx as a POS machine for the last 25 years. What, me upgrade? What for?:-D

I get bored and I like the new toys for W7, like an SSD hard drive. 1M hours MTBF?:eek :cool Another thing I like is that my memory is actually being used, 5GB out of 6GB available. However, no reason to switch if you're happy.

 

Sorry, Shadow . . . I appreciate the link, but no good. You are right about one thing - it wouldn't cost me near $160 dollars on that site to get my system up to 4gig. It would cost me $198 before shipping :-D. The cost of older ram is horrific!!!

Problem is my board supports only 4gigs of ram in the first place (like I said, I built it almost 6 years ago). It does have four slots, which is nice. I've been unable to locate either four 1gb PC-3200 modules OR two 2gb ones for less then $160 bucks or so. The original DDR ram is just too expensive compared to the newer DDR2, DDR3, etc. ram . . . it just doesn't make much sense to spend that much money on this board since the memory is so much slower and more expensive then the newer type . . . and I'm maxed at only 4gb to boot.

No, I'm pretty much petal to the metal on this rig . . . and while it still does what I want it too, I'm not going to waste more cash on it. My last big upgrade was a Radeon 3850 AGP card . . . nice upgrade, but that's gonna be it I fear.

Again, thanks for the link - I saved it. They do have some good prices on the newer style ram.

 

OOPS . . . Meant to add I'm currently running 4 X 512 modules (two dual channel kits). At the time I built my system, they were the best deal going.

It would be nice to have two open slots about now, though!

. . . and thats pedal to the metal . . . LOL

 

I'm soooooo sorry about the ram. I know it's gone up in price, since it's really not being made like it was a few years ago. It seems like those who still have some are milking it for all it's worth.:cry

In general ram prices are like the stock market, they go up and down according to demand, etc.

Admittedly, I've not bought any DDR ram for a long time.

There are a few tweaks to the OS that you might do to get a little better performance. I use one that puts the Windows Kernel into ram on boot up.
That GREATLY improves performance of the OS, because the Kernel may be accessed by the OS several times per second and having to read the kernel from the hard drive each time really slows things down. Having the Kernel in fast ram, really super-charges the OS.
Basically the same tweak works for XP, Vista and Win-7. There are as many similarities in those OS's as there are differences.

Cheers!
The Shadow :cool

 

I know . . . I used to think the older ram tended to be more because it became more scarce as time went on, but anymore I agree with the idea people are milking it because there sure doesn't seem to be any big shortage of it out there yet. Tiger, Newegg, Directron - just to name three sites - all seem to have plenty. It's sad, as my board would really benefit from Vista or 7 . . . but I would have to max the ram out to make it responsive. Maybe I'll run across some used somewhere for cheap.

I couldn't agree more about Spybot S&D and Spyware Blaster. I've used them both for a long, long time - they are very effective. I also use Malwarebytes on a semi-regular basis. All three make for a clean system. I used to like Lava-soft's Ad-aware, but their newer versions left me cold. I haven't checked their page for a while, though.

Again, thanks for the link.

 

On the registry tweak..... I was looking at an old post I made to another forum and lo and behold, I ran onto this:

I do that simple registry tweak on every PC I set up.
Here's a good write-up on the subject:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,887799,00.asp

Sometimes, when you least expect it, VOILA!

I too use Malwarebytes as a backup and cross-check for my main AV and AS software. AdAware lost my respect when a few years back they just stopped giving updates and would NOT answer anyone's emails, etc. It's like they dropped of the edge of the earth for many months.

The setup for Spybot S&D, to get the most out of it, is so specific that I did a full page write-up on it and put it on my web site. I also did a full page of instructions on getting updates, doing the immunization and running scans which I give to each of my customers. When setup and run properly, that program is truly a powerful foe for adware, spyware and many Trojans.
And best of all.......it's FREE! Good stuff for FREE is so hard to find these days, but it IS out there if you just look for it.

EDIT: Spybot S&D changed their update day a couple of years ago. They now post their weekly updates on Wednesday. So anytime late Wednesday or even Thursday is a good time to check for updates. Don't forget to Immunize after getting the current updates.
Then, time permitting, do a full scan.

Happy Computing, Everyone!
Shadow :cool

 

Cool. Thanks for the post.

 

To The Shadow, thanks for pointing out what a lot of people overlook, or forget.

Downloading and installing the latest update in SS&D is the easiest ever.
But as The Shadow points out, users still have to do an "Immunize"
and "time permitting", do a full scan.

A full scan does take a long, long time, so go and watch TV, or brew a coffee, while it runs.

Bazza

 

Thank you for the kudos! Is the check in the mail?:-D:-D:-D

Seriously, I know that a full scan with Spybot S&D can take a while.
If you have other programs running, shut them down before you start the scan and just let it have the computer till it's finished. That scan might be the most important thing you do on your PC all week.
Anything that comes up in RED will be pre-checked and YES should be deleted. Things that come up in GREEN are unimportant and probably should just be left alone.

The length of time for an operation like a Spybot scan, is a good indicator of how well you're maintaining your PC and its hard drive.
In my world, there should be nothing on your C: drive except the OS, Pagefile, program files that need to be there and critical data that you access often. Anything that can be stored away, like movie files, old pictures, etc., should be stored on either a second partition or second hard drive, either internal or external.

Then the drive should be thoroughly cleaned of all its JUNK files before starting any scans. Why would you want to scan JUNK?

Yes, I do practice what I preach. After a good cleaning, a Spybot scan takes between five and ten minutes on my C: drive. A total backup with Ghost takes about six minutes.

Maintaining a clean and fast Hard Drive isn't rocket science, but it does require a certain amount of planning and work, on a regular schedule.

What? Me ranting again? Never!:-D:-D:-D

Shadow :cool

 

I had just recently been reading about this.

DisablePagingExecutive Registry tweak.

Most of the references I found were basically just 'How To...' notes with
little or no explanation or commentary.

Here are a couple that I think are worthwhile:

Does the DisablePagingExecutive registry change have any actual effect?
Check the first response with the Green check mark

XP Performance Tweaks
A good article here about Windows XP performance tweaks.
see: Tweak #4: Kernel Paging and Cache Tuning

There is a detailed list of caveats that should be considered before applying this tweak.

Hope this is useful.

 

You know, I cannot honestly understand that outside economic reasons, why anyone would want to keep XP until 2014, or even another year for that matter? Companies are already releasing hardware and software that is not XP compatible, but only Vista and higher. Mostly 7 compatible is what I see.

 

I am also baffled by this need to keep XP, yes it is a bit smaller and does not need high specs to run but beyond that i do not understand.

I enjoyed XP and used it for a couple of years then changed to Vista but that was a big mistake, I never did like it but stuck with it untill Windows 7 and that is a whole new experience,it's faster,safer and much more user freindly.
I could not envisage going back to the dinosaur that was XP.

 

Economic considerations is the obvious reason. Like I said in my previous post - my computer still does what I need it too . . . runs the programs for work and play that I want it too. I see no reason to drop a couple bills for a new OS when XP is still a decent, secure OS - and even if Microsoft no longer provides free Tech help (I've never, ever called M.S. for help anyway) and are no longer going to improve XP, they are still going to issue security patches for it so the operating system will still be fairly secure.

Why would you upgrade unless you need some program or some piece of hardware that will only run under Win 7 or Vista? The odds of that happening for the run of the mill computer user is very small. That is the realm of the cutting-edge ultra computer gamer/hobbyist, or mission-critical businesses and the like.

Don't get me wrong - I love Win 7 (not so much Vista), and any new computer I build will be equiped with it. My wife's lappy has it and we both think it's the best thing from MS since, well, XP :-D But my six-year old PC will chug along just fine with XP till the security patches stop - if I even keep using it that long . . . by 2014 it will be almost a decade old!

Like Halo said - no right or wrong. You want to plop down some cash for a shiny new OS - have at it . . . or not. Whatever fits the individual's needs or budget.

 

I moved to Linux when I did not have a legit copy of XP.

Now that they are giving it for free...... nah!

I do have a Virtualbox to print what will not work in Linux...

 

My previous post was not meant to kill the spirit of the thread. I see I did not include smileys. My apologies. :-o

I have a trio of whiteboxes here that I have no drive or OS in. They are legacy systems 2.6 Gig with 1024 MB Ram and XP may well be the perfect fit with this guide. :cool

 

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/maximum_it/microsoft_74_percent_businesses_still_run_windows_xp

It makes good economic sense not to throw out stuff that's in good/excellent working order and additionally being liked. It's not always wise to get the latest gadget just for the sake of getting it!

 

I finally got Windows 7 Ultimate installed today. :cool

So far, I cannot see any really good reason why I bothered.
It is certainly much different from XP, so I am learning all over again.

I know one day is too soon to make a decision, so will plug on.

Bazza

 

Oh, I would have thought you'd have gotten W7 pre-installed on your next hardware purchase. I certainly would not have bought it to replace XP. Oh well, onward we go then. You'll have the lay of the land within two weeks or better as it's a pretty low learning curve.:major

 

Thanks Halo. I was waiting for your comments. :-D :major

Bazza

 

Thanks, Halo, for the links. :cool
The Server link is a little beyond me, but I will read it frequently.

To others, from Halo's links:

When will XP finally fade away?
http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/when...zdnet/Bott+(ZDNet+Ed+Bott's+Microsoft+Report)

Bazza