windows xp

[QwKiE]

I still have 1 good windows xp computer, I hear that April 8th the support will stop for the xp. I guess what I am asking is what should a person do so they can keep using the computer. I hate to just throw it away. Any good suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

 

[troymail]

Your computer will continue to work just fine. However, MS will no longer provide security hole patches so over time, you are more and more likely to get a virus or some other malware. It may not be all that bad.... depends on your usage.

Your options are to buy an upgrade... Windows 8 I assume... but from what I've heard, you PC may not be compatible. Not sure if Windows 7 is still available or not.

Of course there is always the option of a new PC.

 

[ecps92]

1. Update it before April 8th with all MS Patches
2. Update your AV and Malware
3. Make a back up of the computer
4. Download on a Thumb Drive all the MS XP Service packs (in-case you need to do a clean re-install - no idea how much longer they will keep them online)
5. Keep your AV and Firewall updated, and you likely won't have a problem.

I still have 1 good windows xp computer, I hear that April 8th the support will stop for the xp. I guess what I am asking is what should a person do so they can keep using the computer. I hate to just throw it away. Any good suggestions?
Thanks in advance.

 

[Ronaldski]

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Download

Newegg.com - Software, Operating Systems, windows 7

 

[CapStar362]

as long as you have a SP2 or better CD Key, just grab a OEM copy of a CD ISO Image of XP SP 3 and use a program called Nlite to do a procedure known as "slipstream" your copy of XP onto a CD with the key from your machine preloaded into the disc, with all the necessary updates included if you have the time and bandwidth to download them into the slipstream copy of XP on that disc.


http://www.nliteos.com/download.html


you can tell which key you have by looking at the sticker itself. if its a modernized "Green" sticker then it is SP2 or SP3. if it is a BLUE background that looks more like W2K version, then it is a SP1 (or 1A ) or older and will not work with SP2 and 3 installs

 

[WB4CS]

Install and learn Linux

 

[n5ims]

Nothing about this should force you to immediately stop using that old PC, but the lack of patches and updates should make the PC less and less secure as time goes on. It's a near certainty that the baddies have saved up some holes to go after in the OS to start taking advantage of (they'll keep looking for others as well) once the patches stop. It should be doubly important for a good virus protection and malware protection be used on machines that use an OS that's no longer supported.

The machine should give you many more years of service, but it may not support some newer software (or even updates of existing software) so it may be a good idea to start saving up for a new computer. On the bright side, you'll end up with one that's much more powerful and costs less than your old one!

 

[Thayne]

I have an XP laptop with lots of radio programs, it is still fast & clean, so after the last updates I will NEVER put it on the internet anymore, that should go a long way to keep it working, although something could still possibly corrupt it. I will clone it one more time also.

I still have a 486 with DOS 6.2 I use to run old moto & uniden proggies--but I don't think anyone will have a need to use it anymore. My then teenage son tore most of them apart years ago and got almost $100 for the aluminum---

 

[wkm]

Depends what you want to do with the box. I would just install linux on it, if it was me. The two xp machines I have were converted to linux a few years ago. I seen no point then in keeping xp going till the last day. But that wasn't my reason for going linux. That would be a vista laptop I have that I converted 4 years ago.

 

[poltergeisty]

If you use a good anti-virus software and a software based firewall that's good then you have no worries. Just ask Dude111, he uses Windows 98! :lol: I don't see what all the hype is about in fact many businesses will be SOL without patches from M$.

On a side note if you can upgrade that computer to 2 GB of RAM you could run Windows 7. How fast is the proc?

I have a thin client running XP SP3 and I'm not getting rid of it despite M$'s BS. It runs my torrents and Teamspeak. Thinking about a Nettop, but if it ain't broken..

 

[N1SQB]

If you want to keep running your XP loaded computer, do what I do! I own a Panasonic Toughbook with XP-Pro SP3. I use it for programing all my Ham / Scanning / Motorola gear as well as other uses. It NEVER goes online. I have a separate basic level PC with Windows 7 that I use to surf the web and it is fully loaded with antivirus and Malware protection software. Just a suggestion!

Manny

 

[bravo14]

I see Microsoft will give you a 100 dollars to buy windows 8. I like XP never crashes and doesn't require 2 gigs of memory to run the win7/8 OS. I have Win7 for some stuff but xp is for radios and non internet usage.

Microsoft will give you $100 to buy a PC | Money - Home

Microsoft Sweetens 'Buy a New PC' Deal for Windows XP Users with $100 Savings | News & Opinion | PCMag.com

 

[MesquiteWx]

While there won't be anymore updates. Microsoft has a good free virus software you can download call MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials) which is really good and will still support XP for virus and malware threat. Combine that with Malwarebytes and you will be completely safe with it online. Those security patches don't mean much anyways. You have the same if not greater threat going to a new OS as not many people will be focusing on XP since it is so outdated.

 

[pro92b]

Microsoft Security Essentials support for XP will only last one more year and then Microsoft will discontinue that support as well. Virus authors will focus on XP now that patches for Vista, Win7 and Win8 will point out what weaknesses remain unpatched in XP. There are hundreds of millions of computers running XP and this is still fertile ground for virus authors. Antivirus programs react to known malware but do nothing to fix operating system vulnerabilities. I have upgraded all my computers that are online from XP to Win7. The lone computer still using XP here is used as a music server and it does not go online.

 

[MesquiteWx]

MSE will not be available after April 8th ether but they will continue to update virus definitions. The first part they tell you, the second part they don't because in the typical Microsoft fashion they want you to upgrade. So if you have MSE install before April 8th virus definitions per the EUL will continue to be updated. Malwarebytes is also offering lifetime support and patches for XP. That is why I recommended downloaded MSE and Malwarebytes and you will be fine.

 

[bravo14]

https://www.yahoo.com/tech/still-on-windows-xp-heres-some-bad-advice-80911845810.html

 

[keithmj]

Question

1. Update it before April 8th with all MS Patches
2. Update your AV and Malware
3. Make a back up of the computer
4. Download on a Thumb Drive all the MS XP Service packs (in-case you need to do a clean re-install - no idea how much longer they will keep them online)
5. Keep your AV and Firewall updated, and you likely won't have a problem.

What would be the proper way to make a backup of the computer? Is there a way to backup so if I formatted or replaced the harddrive I could just duplicate the drive? Or make an exact duplicate of the drive I have now so I don't have to reinstall all the programs?

 

[QDP2012]

What would be the proper way to make a backup of the computer? Is there a way to backup so if I formatted or replaced the harddrive I could just duplicate the drive? Or make an exact duplicate of the drive I have now so I don't have to reinstall all the programs?

Making an exact duplicate of the harddive is different than making a backup of the data on the harddrive, because the exact duplicate also includes the operating system and all of the applications/programs.

For general purpose backing-up of data, a backup tool (like Windows Backup or an equivalent) will copy and compress the data into another file somewhere on a different drive which you later can access and uncompress/expand to retrieve your data.

To make an exact duplicate of a hard drive, you will need what is known as imaging software (do not confuse the term "imaging" with images related to graphics). I am not endorsing any particular imaging software, but two consumer grade products include Norton Ghost, and Acronis True Home Image. I have used both. Each has its own way of doing the job. But, when done, the image of the hard drive is saved as a very large file on another drive you choose. If the source drive fails and needs replacement with a new unformatted drive, you can use the imaging software to put the image onto the new drive, and it will be exactly like it was when the image was created.

You can also use this technique to upgrade to a larger drive if yours is getting full. Make an image. Get a larger drive. Put the image on the larger drive using the option that lets you put it on a larger drive (instead of a same-size drive).

Imaging takes a lot of time because it backs up the entire disk, BUT, it saves a lot of time when you consider how long it takes to manually install an operating system, do its updates, install an office suite, do its updates, install any other stuff you want, like printer drivers, specialized drivers, etc. and their updates and then later to restore data.

Each type of backup has its strengths and weaknesses. Some people use a combination of them. Image once or twice a year, and do regular backups more often.

Hope this helps,

 

[SCPD]

Ah just get 7 or 8 ,I have an old clunker and it works fine.less than 2 gb of ram here.This piece of crap came with Vista.I am running XP and dont think anything is any better on the new Operating systens,I tried em,they are still slow and XP uses less resources,shut off flash and use firefox,you should be ok.Get an antivirus that fixes viruses automatically like AVG.Or upgrade but do a clean install(means wipe the hard drive 1st and get the full version of your Operating system)

 

[CapStar362]

for the backup question..... Minitool Partition Wizard, will clone a partition in its exact contents with ease.