Microsoft announces "end of life" date for Windows XP

[MisterP]

Because several members stated they use Windows XP systems, thought I would pass this on. Microsoft announced the "end of life" date for XP support is April 8, 2014. Microsoft will no longer support it or issue software updates. The same thing will occur for Vista in 2017 and Win 7 in 2020.

Systems will continue to work, but if there are any software vulnerabilities discovered in the future, there won't be any patches to fix them. I don't know how this will affect antivirus programs, time will tell.

It happens with all operating systems eventually. I have a first gen iPad that won't upgrade past iOS 5.

 

[Scott O]

RIP Windows XP...perhaps the best operating system Microsoft ever produced. Too bad they didn't quit while they were ahead!

 

[B_and_D]

RIP Windows XP...perhaps the best operating system Microsoft ever produced. Too bad they didn't quit while they were ahead!

All of our computers at work are XP, the only one we have above that at home is the laptop, Windows 7, it's OK but the webcam keeps turning itself on after I disable it. Sometimes when I close down the computer it issues this horrible howl that makes you think that the gates of **** are opening up.

Grrrrrrrr.......

 

[countrygirl32082]

Mister P can you please post an office link to the info so I can forward it to our IT guys at work?

 

[scrubjaysnest-TMO]

Well; hate to see it go even if it was nothing but a windows nt rework. We should have stayed with DOS 6.0 that was really the last decent OS Microsoft put out. Our daughter has to fight with windows 7 and 8 all the time on her laptop and netbook. Guess I'll have to get serious about moving everything over to Red Hat.

 

[MisterP]

Mister P can you please post an office link to the info so I can forward it to our IT guys at work?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/endofsupport.aspx

 

[rumbleweed]

Windows 7 updates released last Tuesday have some issues. On a fair percentage of machines, the updates install properly, but to not register and hence continue to relaod and reinstall every time you shutdown. Until MS fixes the problem, you can open control panel - Windows updates view the updates that keep loading and click the hide box.

 

[TravlinOn]

Windows 7 updates released last Tuesday have some issues. On a fair percentage of machines, the updates install properly, but to not register and hence continue to relaod and reinstall every time you shutdown. Until MS fixes the problem, you can open control panel - Windows updates view the updates that keep loading and click the hide box.

Possibly another way to handle this problem is to click the small "flag" (Action Center) icon on the bar at the bottom of your screen, then click "Change Action Center Settings", then at the very bottom find "Change Update Settings", then in box: choose "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them"

If this doesn't work by itself, then you will need to "Restore" your computer to an earlier date before the problem "Update" but be sure to take the actions listed in the above paragraph as soon as you have completed the restore then deny the problem update when offered the choice.

As with anything to do with Windows: Good Luck! :new_all_c

 

[countrygirl32082]

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/endofsupport.aspx

Thank YOU!

 

[wbmiller3]

I'm experimenting with going to Ubuntu on my XP computers. So far it looks promising except I am not happy with the Netflix solution offered there.

 

[wahoonc]

I have about had it with Microcrap in general. If work didn't make me keep it I would have gone Linux on everything. My wife has now gone completely to Mac after her Vista machine went unstable and started not saving files as she was working on them. Lost several hours of work:new_cussi I pulled the hard drive, backed the files up and used it as a shooting clay:new_evil:

I have one ancient Win98 machine that I converted to Linux several years ago, it has been my go to machine until this year with the motherboard finally crapped out and I don't have a spare. Hard to find parts for a Compaq 1200XL:sad2:

Seems that MS gets it right about every 3rd version...

Aaron

 

[webfoot]

Upgrade Windows XP to Windows 7

Over the years I think Microsoft has done a fairly good job with the Windows OS, except for Vista which was unstable and slow. I've put Windows 7 on a number of old machines (replacing XP and Vista) and they ran great. I have one computer with Windows 8 which is promising but I don't see a compelling reason to move away from Windows 7 unless you are using a touch screen.

If you have Windows XP I would consider upgrading to Windows 7 :
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

The web page above has a link to the "Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor" which will tell you if your Windows XP computer hardware is compatible with Windows 7.

 

[scrubjaysnest-TMO]

Over the years I think Microsoft has done a fairly good job with the Windows OS, except for Vista which was unstable and slow. I've put Windows 7 on a number of old machines (replacing XP and Vista) and they ran great. I have one computer with Windows 8 which is promising but I don't see a compelling reason to move away from Windows 7 unless you are using a touch screen.

If you have Windows XP I would consider upgrading to Windows 7 :
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/help/upgrading-from-windows-xp-to-windows-7#T1=tab01

The web page above has a link to the "Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor" which will tell you if your Windows XP computer hardware is compatible with Windows 7.

This may not be a good idea if you have an HP and use Firefox as a browser to many people are having problems with this combo that have HP's

 

[webfoot]

This may not be a good idea if you have an HP and use Firefox as a browser to many people are having problems with this combo that have HP's

May be time to abandon Firefox. I gave up on Firefox a couple years ago because of memory leaks. Firefox has been losing browser market share to Google Chrome.

On further consideration about upgrading from XP... after the cost of upgrading to Windows 7 ($100+) you are still stuck with dated and slow computer hardware. The best strategy is a new computer for as little as $300 (just the box), or $400+ with a new monitor. Computers are inexpensive these days from Costco, Walmart, Best Buy, etc.

Computers are like appliances. Sometimes you gotta stop sinking money into repairing the old one.

 

[scrubjaysnest-TMO]

May be time to abandon Firefox. I gave up on Firefox a couple years ago because of memory leaks. Firefox has been losing browser market share to Google Chrome.

On further consideration about upgrading from XP... after the cost of upgrading to Windows 7 ($100+) you are still stuck with dated and slow computer hardware. The best strategy is a new computer for as little as $300 (just the box), or $400+ with a new monitor. Computers are inexpensive these days from Costco, Walmart, Best Buy, etc.

Computers are like appliances. Sometimes you gotta stop sinking money into repairing the old one.

and then one has to spend $100's to get updated software to work with the new puter, and even more in hardware.

 

[countrygirl32082]

Bummer by passing on this information I hoped I would get my work computer upgraded. No such luck.

 

[scrubjaysnest-TMO]

Tried Google Chrome for a browser, runs faster then FireFox but when you exit it leaves a big piece of itself running, burning system resources, and then you can't restart the browser.
FireFox 25.0 was running great until I loaded a ebook search tool bar. Deleted the tool bar but you have to keep the mouse going to get FireFox to do anything. To bad programmers don't check stuff out first any more to make sure it works.

 

[B_and_D]

Bummer by passing on this information I hoped I would get my work computer upgraded. No such luck.

At first our computer guy said we didn't need to upgrade, running XP would still be OK with our security, but since we've been having problems running one of our Intuit programs he said that we all needed to get new computers. Yay, I can't wait. I can't tell you how frustrating it is to sit there when you're really busy, try to enter numbers, and have the program freeze on you over and over. It happens to all of us, very frustrating when you're under the wire and really need to get things done quckly.

 

[MisterP]

April 8 is nearly here. Has anyone upgraded their operating system as a result of Microsoft's announcement?

 

[clown9644]

Just because MS will not support XP doesn't mean you have to stop using it. There just won't be any auto updates. It also means the hackers will move on, as most of the folks will go to another OS such as MS8. As long as it works your fine. The secret is to make sure you have a copy of the original installation disk and the last updates. If you have a problem you just need to clean her up and reload, something you should do once in a while anyway.