All You Win XP Stragglers

[burlmart]

Well, there are still about 30% of ALL PCs on the planet still running XP despite constant warnings from MS to dump it by this April 8, after which there will no longer be OS patches or other update support.


Two days back, all the reporters said that MS would also quit providing free antivirus protection for XP thru its Microsoft Security Essentials software. Today, we read they will provide it until July, 2015.

Just wondering how many fellow XP hanger-oners like me w/ plan to keep using XP? What special extra things will you be doing after April 8. I will run a complete Malwarebytes scan every week, or so.

I tried several free AV programs like AVG, Avast, and Comodo, but just find them too intrusive compared to MSE.

[dclark1946]

rk911 wrote:
I have a desktop and laptop that are running Win7 but also a desktop and laptop on XP. i'm not at all concerned about MS dropping support or updates for XP.

X2 for us. My desktop with XP Pro has way too much SW to replace as long as it works. My wife's desktop is a Windows 7.

Dick

[rk911]

2012Coleman wrote:

SCR wrote:

2012Coleman wrote:
Hope all you non believers have your files backed up on external media, and won't be connected to a network with your out of date OS. If it was a money making venture to supply patches and updates, then the poster who stated they would have stuck with Win 95 would still seeing it upon start up. Win 7 is not much of a learning curve. I won't defend Win 8. When you get the message asking you for money to unlock your files, just throw it in the can.

The Crytolocker Ransomeware is not just an XP problem it will infect all Windows operating systems.

Your best defense in the event of infection is to have a complete backup or image of your hard drive.

More Information:
Wikipedia - Cryptolocker

Sophos

Sure it could infect all windows Os's - but will be a lot easier on an unprotected not patched XP box. But thanks for repeating my advice and sending a link that makes my point about backing up your files as your basically screwed if you get this.

what makes you think that an XP box will become 'unprotected' when MS drops support?

[2012Coleman]

SCR wrote:

2012Coleman wrote:
Hope all you non believers have your files backed up on external media, and won't be connected to a network with your out of date OS. If it was a money making venture to supply patches and updates, then the poster who stated they would have stuck with Win 95 would still seeing it upon start up. Win 7 is not much of a learning curve. I won't defend Win 8. When you get the message asking you for money to unlock your files, just throw it in the can.

The Crytolocker Ransomeware is not just an XP problem it will infect all Windows operating systems.

Your best defense in the event of infection is to have a complete backup or image of your hard drive.

More Information:
Wikipedia - Cryptolocker

Sophos

Sure it could infect all windows Os's - but will be a lot easier on an unprotected not patched XP box. But thanks for repeating my advice and sending a link that makes my point about backing up your files as your basically screwed if you get this.

[SCR]

2012Coleman wrote:
Hope all you non believers have your files backed up on external media, and won't be connected to a network with your out of date OS. If it was a money making venture to supply patches and updates, then the poster who stated they would have stuck with Win 95 would still seeing it upon start up. Win 7 is not much of a learning curve. I won't defend Win 8. When you get the message asking you for money to unlock your files, just throw it in the can.

The Crytolocker Ransomeware is not just an XP problem it will infect all Windows operating systems.

Your best defense in the event of infection is to have a complete backup or image of your hard drive.

More Information:
Wikipedia - Cryptolocker

Sophos

[2012Coleman]

Hope all you non believers have your files backed up on external media, and won't be connected to a network with your out of date OS. If it was a money making venture to supply patches and updates, then the poster who stated they would have stuck with Win 95 would still seeing it upon start up. Win 7 is not much of a learning curve. I won't defend Win 8. When you get the message asking you for money to unlock your files, just throw it in the can.

[KA4EBU]

Wonder why msft is getting out of the 8. business and are trying to get the idea win 9(?) will be better.

[docj]

Thunder Mountain wrote:
Had enough time to play with it to tell that while the Windows 8.1 touch screen is a steep learning curve, it seemed stable. 8.1 is a huge/complex operating system requiring a lot of resources e.g. i5 or i7 processor and 6 to 8 gigs of memory.

Although Windows 8.1 has deservedly received much criticism, IMHO this is pretty much "over the top." We have two laptops running Windows 8.1. One is a touchscreen Dell powered by an i3 processor and runnng 64-bit Windows in 4 GB of RAM. The other is a non-touchscreen Dell running 64-bit Windows with an i7 processor and 8 GB of RAM. Both machines run well; there's little noticeable difference between them unless you try a direct comparison of a complex task.

As for Windows 8.1 touch-screen being a "steep learning curve", our touchscreen laptop is my DW's and she is not at all a savvy computer user. I intentionally left all of Windows 8.1's features intact on her computer so she could decide which ones she liked. So far she's had no trouble adjusting to the system and creating her own mix of things she does with the touch screen and those things for which she prefers to use the traditional keyboard and touchpad.

[Thunder_Mountai]

Have three laptops. Oldest is a retired Dell now relegated to running my Davis weather station and webcam. It's XP operating system is the most reliable and stable. Dang thing is just too big and heavy to carry around. Newest Dell running Windows 7 is least reliable. Just returned a Dell Windows 8.1 to Best Buy that died after a week. Had enough time to play with it to tell that while the Windows 8.1 touch screen is a steep learning curve, it seemed stable. 8.1 is a huge/complex operating system requiring a lot of resources e.g. i5 or i7 processor and 6 to 8 gigs of memory.

[IND_navyvet]

OP thanks for your concern, but no thanks.

[larry_cad]

Yeah, and on Jan. 1, 2000, all the computers in the world will crash! What? What did you say? That actually didn't happen? Wow! Wish I had known.

:B

[pasusan]

We've got a netbook with XP. I turned off the updates a looong time ago. It is my travel computer with MS Streets and Trips while we're on the go and when we're home it's hooked up to the stereo to play our songs in iTunes... And sometimes Pandora Radio. No antivirus programs ever. It's a great little computer.

[wa8yxm]

And even when Mickey Soft stops supporting XP.. The 3rd party anti-malware, most all of which are higher rated than Microsoft's offering, Will support it.

[rk911]

8iron wrote:
Like joebedford, my shop comp runs XP. If MS is willing to turn it's back on 30% of it's users then good luck with that! If I am going to be told what I can and can't run I will change to an iMac...at least I'm used to it from Apple:)

nobody, MS included, is telling you what OS you have to run. just because there will be no further updates doesn't mean your world is gonna end. and it won't end when they drop their virus protection. at some point almost all businesses and manufacturers drop support and parts for certain product lines.

[burlmart]

sch911 wrote:
Microsoft extends XP anti-malware support until July 2015

Thx. I corrected OP. 15 months of MSE beyond this April 8 EOS.

[mlts22]

There is a lot of under the hood improvements in W7 and W8, but for a lot of users, XP is good enough. It does what they need, and because it may require a hardware upgrade.

As for anti-malware, I recommend downloading/purchasing Malwarebytes, the only utility I know of that actually protects by IP address, and if the bad guy sites are not connected to, they can't attack your system.