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[blackviper90210]

Morning all,

Just a gentle reminder to those that may still be running Win XP that support, updates, fixes and patches will end on 8th April 2014.

https://readytogo.microsoft.com/en-us/Pages/timeforchange/default.aspx#!


HTH's

[Rods2]

I think people are taking notice of this as according to a sales chart I saw the other day, Windows 7 sales are growing and are currently much higher than Windows 8. 

[cleggy]

XP is stabilized now so no more fixes should be necessary. Don't panic 

[pscocoa]

I think people are taking notice of this as according to a sales chart I saw the other day, Windows 7 sales are growing and are currently much higher than Windows 8. 

I seem to be getting along fine with Windows 8 - have had the lot of course from 1980s, fond memories of 3.1 in early 90s (config.sys and auto exec.bat management)  and moving from XP to  Win 7 via Vista.

[Entwood]

XP is stabilized now so no more fixes should be necessary. Don't panic 

Its not a stabilisation issue, XP is certainly stable enough by now, its all the holes that keep being found, and will continue to be found, that will no longer be patched. XP was good, in its time, but it now as full of holes as a swiss cheese, which makes it inherently insecure, and in an era where more and more personal data is used and stored on computers, insecurity is NOT a good idea !!

Win8 is excellent IF, big IF, you have a touch screen , IMHO it is almost unuseable with just a mouse and keyboard, so although win7 is already "dated" it probably offers the most secure and useable windows platform available, for those of us with older hardware.

Unfortunately for those with even older hardware, then drivers are just not available, so some folks will be forced to remain with XP unless they buy new hardware... which is probably why the drivers aren't being written.

There would be an outcry of tremendous proportions if the formulation of petrol changed such that cars older than 10 years wouldn't run on it, and the older type of petrol was phased out ... but the IT world have managed to do exactly that .... I believe the posh phrase is "planned obsolescence" ... I call it "rip off the customer" .... 

[Sir Tigger KC]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

[MR MISTER]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Hit it wiv a nammer an throw it in the bin.

[Shackeng]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Hit it wiv a nammer an throw it in the bin.

Sadly that's what will happen to the perfectly good silent one sitting next to this one on my desk. Although it was getting a little tired and slow.

[Entwood]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Have a good software firewall, or a good router firewall is even better, have a really good antivirus programme, don't visit "strange" sites, take care what links you click and what attachments you open, and generally .. just be security "savvy".

At the end of the day ... are you really important enough to be actively targeted by a hacker ??  Probably not ... so the only way you'll get into trouble is through "mass attacks" that look for the vulnerable, unprotected systems (and their operators) ...  play it safe and you'll probably remain safe ..

[MR MISTER]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Have a good software firewall, or a good router firewall is even better, have a really good antivirus programme, udon't viisit "strange" sites, take care what links you click and what attachments you open, and generally .. just be security "savvy".

At the end of the day ... are you really important enough to be actively targeted by a hacker ??  Probably not ... so the only way you'll get into trouble is through "mass attacks" that look for the vulnerable, unprotected systems (and their operators) ...  play it safe and you'll probably remain safe .. :)I

That's no good to him.....throw it in the bin.

[Sir Tigger KC]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Have a good software firewall, or a good router firewall is even better, have a really good antivirus programme, udon't viisit "strange" sites, take care what links you click and what attachments you open, and generally .. just be security "savvy".

At the end of the day ... are you really important enough to be actively targeted by a hacker ??  Probably not ... so the only way you'll get into trouble is through "mass attacks" that look for the vulnerable, unprotected systems (and their operators) ...  play it safe and you'll probably remain safe .. :)I

That's no good to him.....throw it in the bin.

It's true..... I venture into the Mercedes forum from time to time. 

[Entwood]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Also forgot to mention ... not all systems are connected to the internet .. and many of the non-connected ones will run XP quite safely and happily.

I have a friend who runs an XP system 24/7 with just one program running .. its a research analysis programme he wrote 15 years ago, it still crunches the numbers as well as it did then, so he can't be bothered to re-write it for a new platform. It has no antivirus/firewall of any description .. mainly because it doesn't even have a network card fitted !! It is a tool that works, and will continue to do so for many a year ..

[Andy H]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Have a good software firewall, or a good router firewall is even better, have a really good antivirus programme, don't visit "strange" sites, take care what links you click and what attachments you open, and generally .. just be security "savvy".

At the end of the day ... are you really important enough to be actively targeted by a hacker ??  Probably not ... so the only way you'll get into trouble is through "mass attacks" that look for the vulnerable, unprotected systems (and their operators) ...  play it safe and you'll probably remain safe ..

Botnets are made by taking control of hundreds or thousands of PCs just like yours. You don't feel that you are at risk which makes you perfect for their purposes because you won't know when your PC is used to attack a more valuable target.

[Andy H]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Stick Linux on it.

If you use Linux Mint you should have a fully working PC in about 20 minutes.

[Kevin Wood]

Hmmmm so what to do with an older PC running on XP then?   

Stick Linux on it.

If you use Linux Mint you should have a fully working PC in about 20 minutes.

Damn right. No driver issues there.