Is XP Going Somewhere...?

I'm reading (all of a sudden - all over the place, seemingly) that MS support for XP-SP3 is going-away - "'soon' - though those articles seem to have been saying this for some time (not that I'm 100% certain what-all this "support" entails...?).

I have one machine in the stable (70 yr-old moms) which needs to be informed ... need to know, well in advance.

Can anyone corroborate these stories/rumors,please.

And thanks in advance...

 

Microsoft plans to support Windows XP -- specifically SP3 -- until April 2014.
it was in this article: over at computerworld dot com

 

XP will continue to function normally after support ends so no need at all to do anything about it until such time as you want to upgrade yourself. All it signifies is that there will be no further updates issued and MS will not offer any problem solving support - but there's plenty of the latter here

 

I guess it depends on what the term "soon" means to you but, XP SP3 extended support will end April 8, 2014. Extended support is basically, security patches and critical updates. Self help is also available via Microsoft on-line support.

April 14th of 2009 marked the beginning of extended support for XP and the end of mainstream support.

While the OS will continue to work fine, third party vendors will also stop supporting it. In some cases, such as applications that don't access the internet, this isn't important. In the case of some, like security applications it is important.

 

Don't know the specs of your mom's machine, but in my experience:
XP : virus "hey nice computer. I'll just slip in and screw everything up without you knowing"
I've noticed (no offense intended) in my virus removals that older folks love to download "coupon printers" (always virus) and open "cutesy" e-mail attachments (viruses) and things like that. Maybe your mom is more internet savvy than most, though, I don't know.
Windows 7: virus "hey nice computer- OH ,um, can I come in and screw things up?" NOPE!
I recommend prepping your mom for a move to 7 if possible. Again, clearly I don't know anything about you, your mom, or her machine. Also again, I mean no offense by any of this. Just pointing out some anecdotal evidence I have uncovered in my virus killing jobs. I'd have to say 9 out of 10 badly infected computers i treat are XP .
I might be way off here, but it's something you might consider .

 

XP was/is good, MS was hard pressed to beat itself but it finally managed that with W7. All things being equal, I'd keep XP until support ends, gives one some time to assess the situation.

 

Thanks to all...yeah, I must be going senile (@ 51!???!).

The reason I put "soon" in quotations is because I "thought" I had seen/read April "next" (2012) year ... I'll see if I can find the aticle to double-check (for grins - AT my-SELF!), but you all are reassuring in that it sounds like there will be MS-support for a couple years yet (I'll have to re-read the "fine print" here among your kind posts RE: "support" vs. "extended support" etc.) :-D .

And oh, yes, I think I'll start "prepping" dear old mom for a switch to 7. I'm not sure if I'd be better-off sticking with this VISTA I have, or take her XP when I get her over to 7? Opinions??

Thanks again - and in advance!
g...

 

I don't think the OS flavour would matter much to mom, as long as her normal computing habits and apps don't get changed too much. I guess she's in her 70's and I wrote this post to address this fact. Vista's penchant to pop up a warning at almost every turn would freak her out. I'd go W7 just for that reason.

 

Exactly - and you are correct on all surmises/points (is "surmises" a word??)!!! :-D


Thanks again!

 

OH!!!

This just occurred to me, and is semi-related (I think?), to the thread...

The older Dell (70 year-old mom's machine), has ONLY a 20 GB Hard-Drive ... would WIN7 even "FIT" on that small of a HD? I mean, we are simply talking about upgrading from XP to 7 - on the same machine, correct, please?

PS ~ she (mom) "seems fine" with that small of an HD ... all she really does is check email, an occasional search or "MAYBE" a purchase (God forbid!!) and plays Solitaire (OFF-line)...that's about it.

 

Ya, 7 will easily fit on a 20GB HDD, I seem to remember it using some 6GB on install but I have lots of RAM so the figure will be inflated, the bigger question is why change what works?:confused

 

Support for Windows XP without a service pack ended on September 30, 2004 and support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and 1a ended on October 10, 2006. Windows XP Service Pack 2 was retired on July 13, 2010, almost six years after its general availability.

In accordance with Microsoft's posted timetable, the company stopped general licensing of Windows XP to OEMs and terminated retail sales of the operating system on June 30, 2008, 17 months after the release of Windows Vista. However, an exception was announced on April 3, 2008, for OEMs installing to ultra low-cost PCs (ULCPCs) until one year after the availability of Windows 7 (October 22, 2010).

On April 14, 2009, Windows XP and its family of operating systems were moved from Mainstream Support to the Extended Support phase as it marks the progression of the legacy operating system through the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy. During the Extended Support Phase, Microsoft will continue to provide security updates every month for Windows XP; however, free technical support, warranty claims, and design changes are no longer being offered.

On April 8, 2014, all Windows XP support, including security updates and security-related hotfixes, will be terminated. Users are recommended to upgrade to Windows 7.

Don't stress mom out unnecessarily . If you were anything like me, you gave her MORE than enough reason to stress out when you were younger . :-D

 

Well thanks, but, well...that's just the impression I got...from FED UP, and actually, from you too...:confused

And yes, "FED UP", I too (and two brothers) gave mom MORE than enough StReSs~!

 

Hi Glenn, why don't you run Microsoft's Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Report on your mom's Dell machine? http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=20

It'll tell you exactly if/and what would or not work with her hardware, software etc. When I ran it on my XP Home in 2010, it told me also to contact Dell as well for more info.

Personally I'm waiting until April 2014 or when/if my Dell conks out on me before that time.

PS: Strange that this Microsoft's Advisor told me that I have XP PROFESSIONAL which I DON'T have.

 

EXCELLENT idea Oma - THANK YOU! I LOVE that sort of stuff ... as long as it will be accurate . . . ?

 

Well Glenn, as far as I know the rest of the report looked quite accurate as I checked upon a few items by googling them, most of them about software. I think that MSFT won't check all of the software one may have installed, just the major known ones. It would be wise to call Dell I think prior to going ahead now or in the future. Win 7 would be quite a steep learning curve for your mom as it would be for me since I am very very close to your mom's age. Why not just leave it for now as is since XP will live on for security updates until April 2014?

 

I agree unless a new computer is perhaps on the horizon in the near future for reasons other than the particular OS currently being used. My mother is 86. She had been using a computer (Win XP SP3) given to her by a friend who bought a new computer. This computer (the one given to mom) had a 1.4GHz Celeron CPU with 256MB of RAM, and onboard video. The monitor she had been using was 17 inch CRT. That computer was generally sluggish in performance. Since I'm the person who usually helps her when she has computer questions and I found working on her computer frustrating due its sluggishness, I began suggesting a new computer a few months ago and mom was receptive to this idea. So, about two weeks ago, I went computer shopping with her and she bought a Compaq desktop with Windows 7 Home Premium. This computer was the lowest priced model in the store; it was $280 before tax. It has an AMD dual-core processor, a 500GB hard drive, and 2GB of RAM (expandable to 16GB). It came with a mouse and keyboard. She also spend about a $100 on a 19" LCD widescreen monitor and picked a set of Logitech speakers at Walmart for less than $12; this was an improvement over the old OEM speakers from the old computer.

Since she had been using Outlook Express for email, I installed Windows Live Mail on the new system and got her two email accounts (one still active from former ISP and new one due to recent change of ISP) set up in it. I also just spent some time with her on the day we brought the new computer home and on a subsequent visit answering some questions about the new computer and Windows 7. I also installed TeamViewer so that I can remotely access her computer from my place if necessary. And, no doubt, there will be occasional questions from her but that's always been the case since she first got a computer.

Edit: I also removed the trial version of Norton Anti-virus, installed avast! Anti-virus, connected her printer and got it working, and I installed Firefox since I she had become accustomed to using it on the older computer. I'm sure you'd want to take similar steps if your mom got a new computer.

 

Quick follow-up question: Do you know (as I can't seem to find anything one way or the other) if this advisor would work on a "VISTA" system as well as XP, please?

*EDIT* - I apologize as I see I missed a few posts submitted by kind folks since this reply of mine to oma's reply...and yes oma, I plan to leave things "as is" on mom's machine, and perhaps focus on upgrading my Vista to 7.

And oh by-the-way (and FWIW) - I never would have guessed your age, after all this time (years??). Had a picture in my mind of you being "maybe" 40 to 50 (I suppose I'm saying something to the effect: "you project energy, youth, and VITALITY"!!!)

 

Please disregard my last post...MY BAD!!! Right directly in the center of the page it STATES:

"Supported Operating Systems: Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP Service Pack 2

.NET Framework 2.0 or higher if running Windows XP".

And here I was, running all-around the web, searching?!? I have GOT to get those glasses . . .

 

Just be sure to do that on your Vista as the report then will tell you if that particular hardware will be compatible with Win 7.

Thought I'd let you know of the above even though it's stated right there on the page.

PS: Thanks for the compliments Glenn, same gender as your mom, still learning. Got 1st PC in 2003.

 

Well, thank you again oma, and all others, however, I'm afraid this whole thread now is instantly moot.

Once again, I have somehow, seemingly, FRIED the XP machine.

In a scan with the (new?) iObit Malware Fighter program, it claimed to have caught "7" (seven) bugs/problems/etc.

As such, I moved to quarantine them (though I believe that was merely a formailty for me to "Confirm"), however, I.M.F. said something to the effect that it appeared some of these files it "caught", were 'critical' or 'important' or whatever-type of files, for the system to operate (that it might be unstable if I deleted them).

I "attempted" to proceed, at which point IMF says: "Install XP SP3 "DISK" . . . ??? Well, I have the XP disk (ALL the disks that came with the machine 9 years ago), but I certainly don't have an XP, "SP3" Disk (would ANYONE have that??).

In any event, that machine is now MIS-operating (if there is such a word) . . . when it is started, I get the "Welcome" screen, but when I attempt to log-in or sign-in (when I select either oo the two User Accounts - one of which is the Admin), it immediately jumps into "Logging-OFF" mode...?????????????

I have NEVER seen such a thing, but then it seems most of the problems I ever have with computers, are things that no one has ever seen before...

I suppose after nine+ years, this Dell 4500S with XP is finally going to the garbage pile...I have NO clue what else I would do, as loading the original disks that we have doesn't seem to work...?

Yet another nightmare, for me.

We are now down to the dreaded, VISTA machine - only, which I will have to GIVE to mom, so that she has "SOMETHING" to play her games on and check her email, etc., whilst I will now be FORCED to purchase a laptop or notebook or netbook or "something" (which actually I had planned to to do anyway, although I had hoped to have that for work/business only).

The biggest problem with all of this is: I have NEVER been able to get a printer to work with this Vista machine.

Nightmares...more Windows nightmares, for me........

 

Glenn, you may want to start a new thread about the XP problems you have now because this thread is about something completely different. In that way you may receive some guidance in how to solve your current problems. Probably the best would be just to copy your last post and put it in the new thread?

Sorry, I don't have the answer to your last post.

 

Thanks oma - will do . . .

 

That's odd. I've installed 3 printers on my laptop running Vista during the 4+ years I've owned it.

You say you're going to give this computer to your mother. Will she want to connect a printer to it? If so, what make and model?

 

So sorry - I thought sure I had replied to you here on this (I think I started a reply, but fell asleep last night 8-O

But yes, we very much would like this Dell (Inspiron 531) computer to connect with a Dell "Photo 926" (AIO) Printer.

And my "numbers are" just the opposite of yours - 4 printers tried - though I knew one was a VERY long-shot because it was made in Europe - FOR a European system/computer, and about 3 & 1/2 years of owning/trying with Vista (Home/Basic).

 

Maybe I'm missing something, but wasn't it working OK before you ran the iObit Malware scan and proceeded with those "fixes"?

Rather than assuming that the machine and OS are Fried and requires reinstallation of out of date system files,
there should be a way to reverse the changes and thereby return the machine to a working state.

There should be several possibilities:

• starting in safe mode to enter the OS and revert changes
• choosing last good working state from safe mode (can't remember exactly what it's called)
• using a system restore point

I didn't see where you had started a new thread on this topic.
If you do, I think you should include the last couple of posts so that folks know what's going on.

 

Thank you (I have now started a new thread; "Serious Problem(s) in XP after I.M.F Scan", but am just finishing your answer to this in this thread, because I am so confused now...?)...and no, I don't think you're "missing" anything...it's just that I do this stuff (have to revert to F8/Safe Mode sort of stuff) that I just forget to do it, and what to do when/if I DO I get there (to that point).

I believe I tried it here, in this case (it's been a couple of days past now), but I couldn't seem to get that to work, and I can't get (that I know of??) to any Restore Points if I can't log-in...I can get to the "Welcome" screen, and that's as far as I can get...?