ShyWriter Posted April 8, 2013 ID:666278 Share Posted April 8, 2013 .Windows XP death watch: 365 days remainingby Joshua Long on April 8, 2013On April 8th, 2014 - exactly one year from today - Microsoft will terminate Extended Support for Windows XP.That means no more security updates.And that could mean very big problems for a significant percentage of PC users.According to data from Net Applications, Windows XP still maintains a nearly 39% hold on the desktop operating system market, second only to Windows 7 which has just under 45%.Every other individual desktop operating system (including Windows Vista, Windows 8, and Mac OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion) has 5% or less of the desktop operating system market.Imagine, if you will, what could happen should bad guys decide to hold onto exploits, plotting to use them only after Microsoft stops releasing patches for Windows XP. (More...)Read the rest of the death toll at: http://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2013/04/08/windows-xp-death-watch-365/ Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dennisjeb Posted April 8, 2013 ID:666382 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Wow, will this mean that pcs running xp will get nuked with virusses? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile360 Posted April 8, 2013 ID:666409 Share Posted April 8, 2013 Wow, will this mean that pcs running xp will get nuked with virusses?It makes it a lot more likely. It means that once Microsoft stops issuing security updates for XP, that any vulnerabilities which remain after that point will be fully exploitable by the bad guys in order to infect Windows XP based systems. Antivirus and anti-malware software can only go so far to protect a system, keeping it fully up-to-date, including Windows Updates and security updates for third party browser plugins, media players and other software on the system is absolutely critical to keeping it secure against infection. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted April 9, 2013 ID:666605 Share Posted April 9, 2013 What happens if a user formats, then re-installs Windows XP. If they go to Windows Update, will they still be able to get all the updates up to the time when they stopped making updates? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
exile360 Posted April 9, 2013 ID:666616 Share Posted April 9, 2013 What happens if a user formats, then re-installs Windows XP. If they go to Windows Update, will they still be able to get all the updates up to the time when they stopped making updates?Yep, at least I believe so. It just means that MS won't be issuing any new updates/patches, but Windows Update should still function just fine for deploying existing patches and updates. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted April 9, 2013 ID:666638 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Thanks Sam, at least until MS decides to take those out of the update servers I suppose... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Admin AdvancedSetup Posted April 9, 2013 Root Admin ID:666725 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Actually pretty sure they're going to cut that off at some point as well. You can obtain (and if you plan on keeping XP you should) all the Windows updates on DVD size ISO images that Microsoft makes available. I will probably at least save them even if I do end up going Windows 7 which we've sort of started to do already. I like XP as I'm sure most of you know but you can only fight an uphill battle so long.That said though there are ways to protect the box in general. I've run XP boxes with no Service Packs, No AV with a few modifications and a few plugins and it took me about 3 days of really trying to infect the box before it actually did get infected. So if you're in a business running XP as a process machine it's typically not likely that it runs email or does web browsing or other similar behaviors to get infected. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firefox Posted April 9, 2013 ID:666755 Share Posted April 9, 2013 You can obtain (and if you plan on keeping XP you should) all the Windows updates on DVD size ISO images that Microsoft makes available.Is that only available to Microsoft Certified Partners or what? Where does one go about getting the DVD? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500 Posted April 9, 2013 ID:666758 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Wow, will this mean that pcs running xp will get nuked with virusses?Also expect some anti-virus software companies to slowly phase out Windows XP support once Microsoft discontinues support. As the usage numbers drop, so will support for Windows XP. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Admin AdvancedSetup Posted April 9, 2013 Root Admin ID:666829 Share Posted April 9, 2013 These are for ALL OS versions. Not sure that they make them simply for XP or not. Might be easier to export all the updates on a bunch of currently up to date XP computers including those that are a few years old and then manually go dowload all those installers while you still can.Security updates are available on ISO-9660 DVD5 image files from the Microsoft Download CenterFebruary 2013 Security Release ISO Image Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSnakeKobra Posted April 9, 2013 ID:666834 Share Posted April 9, 2013 I stopped using Windows XP over a year ago and haven't really touched it since (same for XP Mode). My dad has a desktop with XP on it, but most of the time he uses my moms laptop with Vista (I even offered to put XP on it when I reformatted it). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Admin AdvancedSetup Posted April 9, 2013 Root Admin ID:666844 Share Posted April 9, 2013 Yes but what if you're on a limited income or what if you're running a business with 5,000 desktops running XP? Then switching to a new OS requires a lot more thought and money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintree16 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:666885 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Thanks for that link Ron!!! I am not looking forward to the death of XP. I'd like to keep using it for at least a year after, if possible. I don't want to have to pick out a new computer, and I am not sure if my current machine will upgrade nicely to W7 & I don't like the look of W8 & don't want to buy it. Not sure if you can still even purchase 7 either. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkSnakeKobra Posted April 10, 2013 ID:666902 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Yes but what if you're on a limited income or what if you're running a business with 5,000 desktops running XP? Then switching to a new OS requires a lot more thought and money.True. I'm in the limited income area, but I'm not worried considering I'm above the average computer user. @MTYou can still buy Windows 7.http://www.tigerdire...&Sort=3&Recs=10I believe NewEgg also has it.Edit: Added link. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintree16 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667076 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Thanks. Hopefully I can buy it soon in about a month when I have some money. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daledoc1 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667084 Share Posted April 10, 2013 and I am not sure if my current machine will upgrade nicely to W7 This website may help with that:Windows 7 Upgrade AdvisorSome other helpful links:Upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7Compatibility CenterHTH,daledoc1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintree16 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667095 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Thank you DaleDoc1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daledoc1 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667123 Share Posted April 10, 2013 You're most welcome.The geeks and gurus here will undoubtedly have additional info -- I just recalled having checked out the upgrade advisor & compatibility tools many, many moons ago.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintree16 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667135 Share Posted April 10, 2013 Mmm. I am not sure if I will purchase W7 or just get a new computer when XP is up or like 6-12 months after XP is up... I dunno... I hate going computer shopping, I don't fully know what I am doing, but thanks to all the awesome people here, I know a lot BETTER what I am doing Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CWB Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667206 Share Posted April 10, 2013 three words : build yer own . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintree16 Posted April 10, 2013 ID:667235 Share Posted April 10, 2013 true true but I don't think I'd have the patrience lol and I'd likely mess it up I'd love to though, maybe I will do that! It would probably take me a while, though Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gt-truth Posted April 11, 2013 ID:667373 Share Posted April 11, 2013 2014?What does this mean to you?Note I use Windows XP ...Lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff screen317 Posted April 11, 2013 Staff ID:667387 Share Posted April 11, 2013 I've upgraded many XP iaptops and desktops to Win7 with no issues thus far.. Make sure you run the compatibility advisor -first- if you want to pursue that. I've installed it on some pretty old hardware and haven't seen any performance issues either. Generally if you also upgrade your hard drive to an SSD, you can get a lot more life out of an older computer. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GT500 Posted April 11, 2013 ID:667666 Share Posted April 11, 2013 ... I've installed it on some pretty old hardware and haven't seen any performance issues either. Generally if you also upgrade your hard drive to an SSD, you can get a lot more life out of an older computer.2GB of RAM is also helpful. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountaintree16 Posted April 11, 2013 ID:667706 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Thanks for the tips guys! I believe I have 2GB of ram. Or according to the built-in computer specs under control panel, 1.99 GB . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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