End date for Windows XP

[Tech198]

Allot of people would still use XP... ATM machines, and most Point-of-sale still use XP too..

Plus, add to that hardware... they would programs that, for one reason or other, have not been updated some several years and not compatible with later OS, despite compatibility settings, or physical machines that can't run Windows 7.

Also, being old hardware, u can't run virtual machines either.... so they must stick with what they have.

XP may not have updates anymore (well they do, but you have to pay big bucks (like in business etc.) the average joe isn't gonna do this, but run as standard user prevents 99% of these problems, regardless of OS anyway.

This, nothing wrong with XP.. Its all about the user.. Any OS is "secure" as long as the user knows what they are doing at all times..

Using the excuse "Well... at least this newer OS protects me." so i can start fooling round more . to me is utter ridiculous...

Unfortunately... allot of people go by that.

I've run XP, with no A/V protection, or any security software and never got bit in my 7 years life....

 

[Plutonius]

I've run XP, with no A/V protection, or any security software and never got bit in my 7 years life....

That you know of . Without running A/V, you have no idea what you have.

 

[Tech198]

After a clean install ?

You've never been there. my friend. The grass is greener on the other side.

People just need to have discipline. But after heaps of attacks and web-surfing to unknown sites, i can see why it can be different.

However, A/V software is good to have, but in my own view, if you know what u always do and never break a sweat, then nothing else required....

My parents on the other hand...... well.... that's why you run as a standard user, you can't infect a standard user no matter what you do, assuming you are not foolish and type your password in for any thing that is.

 

[roadbloc]

That you know of . Without running A/V, you have no idea what you have.

It isn't hard if you know what you're doing and keep a good eye on your processes. Obviously anti-virus protection is the most convenient solution though.

 

[G51989]

I am shocked at the number of people still using Windows XP.

You really shouldn't be.

Windows XP was on the market for a VERY long time, and lots of machines approaching 10 years old are still capable of doing day to tasks with Windows XP, keep in mind in 2005, we were already seeing lots of common systems have up to 3-4GB of ram, Dual Core processors, and all that fun stuff.

And these machines have been running longer than XP had been supported.

The machines will either eventually start to die off, or people will just switch to Windows 10, which will run on a machine nearly 10 years old with little issues.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Your Windows XP will be (is) five times more vulnerable to attack than it was when XP was still supported. Take what you will from that.

 

[sebastian...]

Your Windows XP will be (is) five times more vulnerable to attack than it was when XP was still supported. Take what you will from that.

What attack ? Attacks behind a firewall and antivirus ?

 

[Yebubbleman]

What attack ? Attacks behind a firewall and antivirus ?

Yes, unless you have something like (or, realistically better than) a SonicWall, but even then, that'll only go so far, and realistically anti-virus will only do you so much.

Anti-virus and Firewall solutions don't address inherent security holes in an out-dated OS

 

[G51989]

Yes, unless you have something like (or, realistically better than) a SonicWall, but even then, that'll only go so far, and realistically anti-virus will only do you so much.

Anti-virus and Firewall solutions don't address inherent security holes in an out-dated OS

Ding Ding.

Windows XP was supported for 13 years. Of course it wont be supported anymore because its outdated and its harder and harder to keep it secure.

I mean good god, Windows 8 will run on almost any XP machine still in use and its not even expensive.

 

[sebastian...]

Ding Ding.

I mean good god, Windows 8 will run on almost any XP machine still in use and its not even expensive.

Yes, but what good is that to me if I can't do things with Win 8 that I can do with Windows XP ?

True, some things are better, like taking advantage of my 12 GB RAM and my i7 CPU, but again, I need certain stuff I can only do with win xp.

And about problems and security most people I know never had a security problem with windows xp. Usually only some old people I know, who click "yes" on any kind of pop-ups and ads have problems.

 

[Yebubbleman]

Yes, but what good is that to me if I can't do things with Win 8 that I can do with Windows XP ?

True, some things are better, like taking advantage of my 12 GB RAM and my i7 CPU, but again, I need certain stuff I can only do with win xp.



If you need XP, run it in a sandboxed mode like VMware Fusion/Workstation or Microsoft HyperV/VirtualPC and isolate the VM from the network.

As for this:

And about problems and security most people I know never had a security problem with windows xp. Usually only some old people I know, who click "yes" on any kind of pop-ups and ads have problems.

First off, given the nature of the vulnerabilities involved, odds are most people you know still on XP are likely compromised and don't even know it. And again, security vulnerabilities and malware are apples and oranges. Just because you have good malware protection and a firewall doesn't mean that your actions on the internet can't still be intercepted nor does it mean that attackers still can't gain control of your system.

 

[G51989]

Yes, but what good is that to me if I can't do things with Win 8 that I can do with Windows XP ?

True, some things are better, like taking advantage of my 12 GB RAM and my i7 CPU, but again, I need certain stuff I can only do with win xp.

And about problems and security most people I know never had a security problem with windows xp. Usually only some old people I know, who click "yes" on any kind of pop-ups and ads have problems.

Then keep an XP machine, and keep it off the web, and if it does go on the web, do not put any sensitive info on it.

Well, the reason most people never had problems was because Microsoft kept holes patched, and explotits sealed sa people found them via updates.

Those updates are gone now.

 

[roadbloc]

Yes, but what good is that to me if I can't do things with Win 8 that I can do with Windows XP ?

True, some things are better, like taking advantage of my 12 GB RAM and my i7 CPU, but again, I need certain stuff I can only do with win xp.

And about problems and security most people I know never had a security problem with windows xp. Usually only some old people I know, who click "yes" on any kind of pop-ups and ads have problems.

Keep XP. The whole dropping support business is blown way out of proportion. With most people migrating to newer OSs, the likelihood of many eXPloits focused at XP is reducing sharply. On top of that, many new apps will most likely remain XP compatible for the foreseeable future.

If you'd like to also take advantage of newer features of Windows 8 but also have XP, consider VirtualBox or Dual-Booting. But sticking with XP shouldn't cause you a problem until a few more years yet.

 

[Hugh]

Windows 98's product key system didn't require that a hardware hash be sent to MS to be associated to a particular set of hardware; a single Win98 key could be used on indefinite numbers of machines. XP's system does establish a link between a given product key and the hardware it's installed on, to help prevent usage of a single non-volume-license product key on multiple computers.

A user can install Windows 98 an indefinite number of times without Internet activation. XP, however, requires it for use beyond a set number of days (60? 120? The number escapes me at the moment).

If MS ever decides to shut down XP activation services due to eventual lack of use, how will (the small number of remaining) users reinstall? Would MS release a patch that would bypass activation?

I'm not expecting a concrete answer to this; it's rather rhetorical at this point, I suppose. Carry on...

I never understood this. I have Windows XP Pro and Windows XP OEM, I had them install on 3 machines each. The same disc and version, and I was able to activate them with out any hang up. The OEM version came from a Compaq notebook. Now I don't know if it matters on what version of install I was/is using, it had SP 2 already on it (both). The activation serial numbers I was using where for install discs with SP 1 on them. :/

I do hope they keep the activation server is kept active, incase I need to reinstall XP.

Ding Ding.

Windows XP was supported for 13 years. Of course it wont be supported anymore because its outdated and its harder and harder to keep it secure.

I mean good god, Windows 8 will run on almost any XP machine still in use and its not even expensive.

I keep seeing and hearing people that Windows 7 can be installed on the same machines XP was install on. I have two machines that use the P4 and we tried installing Windows 7 on them. Let me tell you that it didn't have drivers for most of the hardware, and it was really slow as well. So no Windows 7 can't be installed on old machines.

Hugh

 

[roadbloc]

I keep seeing and hearing people that Windows 7 can be installed on the same machines XP was install on. I have two machines that use the P4 and we tried installing Windows 7 on them. Let me tell you that it didn't have drivers for most of the hardware, and it was really slow as well. So no Windows 7 can't be installed on old machines.

Hugh

P4 is probably the cut off point for Windows 7 and for Windows 8 you're probably looking at at least a C2D. Many CD and C2D machines were sold with XP on them, so people aren't wrong. The system requirements for 7 & 8 are quite low and many XP machines will be able to run them fine.

 

[davidblack1]

Windows 8 is good to use. It has more security plans and no worry about antiviruses.