So What Happens When XP Support Ends?

Well sir:wave ... they say support for XP will end in April:cry ... what does this mean for us XP lovers:-o and is there a way to protect ourselves after support ends?:confused

Thanks for reading my post.

 

Not really. You can protect yourself with third party apps while they remain available, but that will be your only defense. That means if they find an unpatched exploit, and they will, you are up next on the butcher block unless said third party app can protect you. Eventually, these applications will no longer support XP as well.

The best plan of action is getting off of XP before April.

 

I've already got Vista installed but (I'm hoping) Microsoft may need to rescind or revise their EOL for XP because so many PC users are running XP and don't want to/can't upgrade their OS.

 

Only good news for xp lovers that I've heard, I read somewhere that Microsoft has quietly extended xp's "Microsoft Security Essentials" into sometime next year. So at least there will be some malware protection for a little bit longer. Perhaps long enough for most xp users to upgrade their hardware enough to run Win7.

I have to say I was pleased to hear that, even though I'm really a diehard Linux user. But I've always duel booted so that on those rare occasions when I need to do something that depends on some propriatory program that only comes in windows and mac flavors...

Well anyway on my desk there is a 9 yr old hp pavilion that just isn't good enough for Win7. It might work with vista, but my laptop came with that and I quickly learned why most xp users didn't want to {ahem, did they actualy call it "upgrading"?} to vista.

I've also played with my Lady's Win7 box, and her daughters Win8 laptop. And for anyone NOT ready for Linux, I'd say Microsoft did a better job with Win7 than either vista, or {yuck} Win8.

For those of you who are stuck with hardware that won't do Win7, all I can say is that most any linux will run on hardware that was made with xp in mind, and SOME of them have help groups that are actualy fiendly to windows refugees...

The Ubuntu family of Linux user groups try to teach windows users how to do it the Ubuntu way. I found the people in the Mageia Linux forum to be fairly friendly.

But hands down, the best Linux thing I've seen for windows users, is Puppy Linux.
Their forum experts even sound like they understand windows... Puppy is a fairly comprehensive family of Linux versions designed to be lean enough to run well from a live cd (or flash drive) even on some older slower pc's. It's a great way to get your feet wet in the Linux pool while leaving your WinXP untouched... Then if your hardware can't do Win7, you might have learned enough about Linux to run with it. Or to know for sure that you need to buy a better PC.

 

They are probably on a closed network too.

 

Microsoft ending support for XP just means no updates for XP anymore.

If your thinking about upgrading then Windows 7 would be the best choice. Most Win7 users are happy campers.

 

Yeah, it's a hard fact but XP is going away. It's only a petty aggravation for a Linux user like me. But if I used only windows, and I couldn't afford a new Win7 compatable PC, I'd be very depressed...

But if you intend to keep using it till your copy dies, then by installing/activating Microsoft Security Essentials BEFORE MS pulls the plug on it, you can at least get anti-malware updates till July 2015.

http://www.itpro.co.uk/operating-sy...for-security-essentials-extended-to-july-2015

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/end-support-help

I'm sorry to tell you this, but that's the only bone MS is gonna throw you.

Win7 is not a bad choice for a replacement Windows system. But I wouldn't recomend Vista, or Win8 to anybody.

If your not able to upgrade your hardware enough for Win7 however, all I can suggest is that now is a good time to try a few Linux live-cd's to see if one of them will work for you.

 

It's all very nice recommending to upgrade to Windows 7, but most Windows XP machines are too old for a Win 7 upgrade. Most users would need to buy new hardware.

These days I look closely wherever I go what OS is used on computers everywhere. Most I see is XP.

I have no problems when restaurant applications use XP, but recently I have visited several large hospitals, and from what I've seen, all their applications run on XP!

 

I am running Win 7 ultimate with 1 gb of Ram , if your machine is supported up to 1 gb of ram the right choice is upgrading to Win 7 , Xp is good but old enough :wave

 

I had tried ALL of the Widows OSes from Vista up to 8.1 (which ran well) on my 8 — 9 year old Dell Precision M70. I had also tried a myriad of Linux distros. For my particular machine's configuration, Vista IS the best choice. What devices Vista doesn't automatically configure my XP drivers work for (except the Alps Touchpad driver which I don't really need anyway).

I don't know why everybody "slams" Vista :confused (I can understand Win 8). I actually like Vista more than XP.

 

Memory of days past. Vista is as fast and as stable as Windows 7 these days. The Vista of old hasn't been an issue for quite a few years.

 

Same specs here. 1GB/Win 7 Ultimate. Seems to be plenty enough power.

 

Yeah, I got that. That's why I bothered to suggest that those who can't afford to do that, DO: Quickly{before MS pulls the plug} start using Microsoft Security Essentials NOW! to get a little more time to either find the resources to buy that newer hardware.

Or, failing that, to find a Linux they can stand. I'm not saying that they can find a Linux that feels exactly like WinXP. But you can find "Window Managers" and/or "Desktop Environments" that feel more like xp than vista does. Most of today's Linux distributions have managed software repositories and a "package" management program that makes installing and upgrading all that "free" software easy. (at least with a broadband internet connection.) And some distributions even have user friendly help forums...

I know most of you probably don't want to go there. but it is an option for the hardware that Microsoft seems to be leaving behind.

Yeah, most business can't or won't budget the money for new hardware. But will probably pay some 3rd party a maintenance fee to keep their xp machines running.

I'm not even comfortable with restaurants putting my credit card data on an unsupported xp machine... But the problem with the hospitals may not be that much worse. They tend to use closed private networks so those XP machines don't get exposed to the hazards of the internet. And last I knew, they can't use windows (or Linux either) to actually run life support systems. But I suppose what could be at risk is the nurse's ability to quickly/accurately find out what the doctor ordered, and/or for the doctor to check your history while deciding which treatment is right for you...

 

Windows 7 has more market share than XP. Businesses and government have known for years that this day is coming, and they made a conscious choice not to move on. I don't even want to hear someone cite costs, because any cost of upgrading is dwarfed by the cost of getting hacked and having data stolen.

Sure, there is MS custom support, which costs 200 dollars per hotfix, per license. That doesn't sound cost effective either.

 

Do you mean for current usage?
Adry, you sure??
Any link.

Cheers..

 

Interesting the comments and doom and gloom attitudes.
We run a LOT of XP still at work, will continue to do so because the effect of MS stopping support is well understood. Getting a virus or trojan is common on large installations, sometimes they clean up easily, the rest of the time you get a new hard drive and pull your back up from the Linux servers. When XP support stops this will happen more often and IT has told us about that so we need to have more backup discipline.
For us 7 offers no benefits. 8 is a training issue IT can ill afford.
We are users here, the OS is a necessary evil in the way of productivity to most.

 

Sure.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2093741/windows-xp-gained-market-share-in-january-or-did-it.html

Which I believe was pulled from here:

http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-market-share.aspx?qprid=10&qpcustomd=0

 

That is a rather cavalier attitude to have towards security. I just hope this isn't a company handling sensitive customer data.

 

Wow!! I'm dumbfounded!! To think this should be general knowledge to.. me!
Don't I feel like the village idiot. :-o

Cheers.. ( I'm still wondering if I missed something)

 

No no, not a village idiot. It took a very long time for Windows 7 to surpass XP in market share. I think if someone broke down business only market share, XP might still beat 7.


At my last job I used Windows 8

 

So does the ending of support in April means no bank, Amazon, or Ebay transactions on XP or will that program they are supporting until 2015 will be enough protection?:confused

 

Only foolish companies will stay on XP after April.

 

I would advise against it but it's your money, though it might not stay that way for long if you do.

 

I have Win7 and Win 8.1. I use both and really don't notice that much difference. I switching back and forth, depending on what I am doing at the time, between using the apps and using the desktop on Win 8.
So far I like Win 8.1 and have not had any problems. Not even with the update from 8 to 8.1.

 

Sorry to disagree, it VERY much depends on what you do and have to protect. XP is fine for an unprivileged client. If no data is available to it none will be compromised. We have legacy programs on laptops to troubleshoot and re-program large equipment. I will gladly give away free copies of that software and wonder why you want it when you don't have the equipment it controls. There is no danger in those hundreds of laptops staying with XP.

XP will be fine for a LONG time to come in some applications just as 2000 is still in use. Staying with XP is a very smart move in those few situations.

 

key word: few.

 

Here's an interesting thought.

Unless Microsoft releases the definition updates for MSE in an installer form that can be downloaded to a Vista or later machine and then be installed on the XP machine, the XP machine will have to go online to get the update either in MSE itself or the Microsoft Update site in IE.

On the other hand, if the XP machine never goes online after 4/8/14 it will have no need of the definition updates (unless the user downloads stuff with malware to a Vista or later machine then installs it on the XP machine — but they might possibly infect their Vista or later machine as well). rolleyes

 

:wave Here's some interesting news .... Windows XP market share climbs again as customers dig their heels in:-D

I'm digging my heels in too. I'll use third party software for security like I have always done.

 

The security updates you'll no longer be getting for XP are the type that prevent a remote user from gaining unauthorized access to and control of your computer possibly even getting to the OS kernel and wreaking havoc with it. The AV, anti-malware, anti-adware won't prevent that.

 

Exactly. I'm sad to see XP go, because it has been a very stable system for such a long time . . . but all good things must come to an end, and I don't blame MS for cutting it loose. XP had a good run.

I only have one computer that still uses XP; it's a media computer I use to digitize and convert video files now and then. Originally built it to convert my own and friends old VHS home video movies to DVD format. It was only connected to the internet when I wanted to install any updates MS pushed out; now after April it will never be connected to the 'net again. I will eventually upgade it to Windows 7, or even use a Linux OS on it. I rarely have it on anymore, anyway.

I noticed someone posted that most older computers that run XP cannot support Windows 7. I disagree . . . depends, I guess, on how you define "old" - It would have to be a motherboard that supports less than 1GB of RAM, or one with onboard video that cannot be upgraded. Requirements for 7are pretty light after all:

1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)

16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

I installed Windows 7 Pro on a computer I built in 2004, based on an ASUS P4P800SE motherboard with a P4 3.0E CPU, 2GBs of PC-3200 RAM, and an AGP HD 3850 video card. It gets decent "windows experience index" marks, and is pretty responsive. Works great still for basic computing and light gaming . . . not bad for a decade old board. Upgrading to Win 7 is cheaper then replacing your computer system, expecially if all you use it for is basic stuff.

 

Windows XP was good operating system I am sad to see it go but Vista is not long before that goes too which I think it's in 2017 which is only going to leave windows 7 and 8 and 8.1 left

but I heard a rumour that they are going to be making a windows 9 but don't hold me on it.

 

Of course there will be. It might not be called that though. However, we will never be going back to the times of XP. Windows as we know it will evolve to fit the booming mobile market. Microsoft right now is all about familiarity. Windows 8 is familiar to a Windows Phone user. A tablet user with Windows RT will be familiar with Windows 8 on the desktop.

Microsoft has invested too much time and money into this to abandon it. I do expect that they will modify it as seen fit due to customer feedback (hence 8.1).

 

I can remember back to when windows had to run with ms-dos and that was a good system especially windows 95. The only version I hated the most was Windows ME.

 

What the heck are you talking about? Windows ME was freaking awesome--as long as you never installed additional software.

 

I had windows ME with Microsoft office 2007 and it slowed it right down bloody hell I could make a cup of tea and still come back loading :-D and vista don't get me started on that one. Good system but if you only got 1GB Ram installed be prepared to wait till Christmas. :-D but best 2 has got to be windows XP and Windows 7

 

I see " running XP on a computer that just isn't good enough for Win7"
IMHO you will not see a drop in speed changing to 7 if you set it up like XP, strip out services and fancy desktop back to minimum and you will be surprised how fast 7 is on your outdated laptop.
I have tried to get legacy programs to run under 7 on a few of our ole XP machines and speed has never been an issue. The key for speed has been Black Viper's site for what services can be shut off.

 

With a good package of Computer Security software, and NOT using I.E., any other PC could be just as safe as mine, that hasn't had a MS update in several years.

I stopped getting MS updates when several of my friends had their PC's totally disabled by an MS Update. That has led many to think that MS was deliberately sending out updates designed to cripple PC's running Windows XP.

I can only see the end of MS support as a big noise over nothing.

 

:wave I'm hearing things like that too on other forums, that some people are still running windows 98 :yum

Here is another article I saw Weeks before expiration date, Windows XP still has 29% OS market share. I'm sure M$ is popping their buttons over that.rolleyes

I figure as long as the third party security software supports it, I will stick with it.:-D

 

I switched back to XP for a couple of days and I just got a Windows update notice in my system tray to download a nag screen about end of support for XP. WTFrolleyesrolleyes

 

Word.

 

More interesting news and comforting to us XP lovers ... AV vendors buck Microsoft, will deliver Windows XP anti-malware signatures for years:wave

 

Except some telesales companies some will carry on running windows xp but at my old place i used to work they are still working on windows 2000 due to the software being used. But as some people say they are going to miss Windows xp with the famous green start button and the background of a green hill with blue sky.

The first windows that dumped system resources under properties in my computer.

 

More on XP
Perspective: Microsoft risks security reputation ruin by retiring XP

I think they are right ... that's a lot of people that want to keep XP ... myself included in that number.:wave

 

Halting progress doesn't help anyone though.

 

I agree. Regardless of the repercussions, it HAS to happen eventually. Valid arguments can be made for some kind of paid support for XP, at least for a little while . . . although the discounted upgrade to Win 7 idea floated in the article sounds like a better solution . . . but thirteen years really is a long, long time for an OS - we're talking worse than dog years! :-D

That's the first thing I got rid of on XP. I never liked the cartoony looking colors, so I made XP look as much like Windows 98 as I could. Yes, I made Windows 7 look as much like my XP as possible also ("Classic" Windows", I think the option is called)