It will be very risky to use Windows XP after the first week of April

[BridgetBordeaux]

Snapshot..............we had a laptop and a desktop that used XP in our house just a few months ago. We stepped up and got a Windows 7 laptop as a replacement and will disconnect our desktop from the internet in about a week or so.

Experts strongly suggest that we stop using Windows XP because it will no longer be secure.

This change will also force some people to stop using certain programs ans/or hardware. Our scanner, for example, can not be upgraded with out spending a modest amount for special software, so for a few bucks more we are getting a new entry level scanner.

We are not a computer savvy family and I am typing this so you guys and develop a low risk/low cost strategy for your computer needs.

 

[MomToOne]

Snapshot..............we had a laptop and a desktop that used XP in our house just a few months ago. We stepped up and got a Windows 7 laptop as a replacement and will disconnect our desktop from the internet in about a week or so.

Experts strongly suggest that we stop using Windows XP because it will no longer be secure.

This change will also force some people to stop using certain programs ans/or hardware. Our scanner, for example, can not be upgraded with out spending a modest amount for special software, so for a few bucks more we are getting a new entry level scanner.

We are not a computer savvy family and I am typing this so you guys and develop a low risk/low cost strategy for your computer needs.

I'm sorry, but this is just fear mongering. I am computer savvy (work in the industry). Windows XP won't suddenly "stop" being secure in April - it will be just as secure as it was in March. Microsoft will simply stop issuing fixes for any new security holes that are found from that point forward. Quite frankly, with all the years of security fixes that have already been done, it's fairly secure. I'd be more worried about your virus checking software, and whether or not it will be desupporting XP- which I haven't heard of any taking that step yet (although I admit I haven't been heavily monitoring for it either).

Honestly, on my home XP machine, I haven't installed security updates in ages. So come the first week of April, nothing will have changed for me. I will probably take the steps of making sure my machine has the latest Windows XP service pack installed, and any additional updates that came out after the service pack, but f I don't get to that I'm not going to stress. When I need more functionality out of my machine, or some hardware breaks, then I will upgrade. But that is likely to be awhile.

PC sales have been stagnant for many years - I believe all this hype about Windows XP being desupported is just a way to up hardware sales for a short time - and thereby also up the sales of Windows 8 licenses and lots of other software for Microsoft. It's funny how we never had this much hype when previous operating systems were desupported...

ETA: I should have also pointed out that to upgrade your operationing system to Windows 7 or 8, you do not necessarily need to purchase new hardware. If you have enough memory and free disk space on you machine to meet the specs for those operating systems, you can probably install them. But many home XP machines are old enough to not have enough memory or disk space, that is why many people need to buy new sytems in order to upgrade. Also, even if you do manage to upgrade your current machine, many of your old peripherals might not have drivers availalbe for the newer operating system, and you might have to buy new ones of those to get something that works (this has been the case for everyone I know who has done this).

 

[davedmaine]

Snapshot..............we had a laptop and a desktop that used XP in our house just a few months ago. We stepped up and got a Windows 7 laptop as a replacement and will disconnect our desktop from the internet in about a week or so. Experts strongly suggest that we stop using Windows XP because it will no longer be secure. This change will also force some people to stop using certain programs ans/or hardware. Our scanner, for example, can not be upgraded with out spending a modest amount for special software, so for a few bucks more we are getting a new entry level scanner. We are not a computer savvy family and I am typing this so you guys and develop a low risk/low cost strategy for your computer needs.

no offense, but that's a bunch of nonsense..

 

[Ranger111]

Snapshot..............we had a laptop and a desktop that used XP in our house just a few months ago. We stepped up and got a Windows 7 laptop as a replacement and will disconnect our desktop from the internet in about a week or so.

Experts strongly suggest that we stop using Windows XP because it will no longer be secure.....>>SNIP<<

O.K., guess it is not funny, but seriously, keep a good anti-virus program up-to-date, do regular scans with the free malwarebytes and AdwCleaner (as you should do with any computer, even the latest and greatest), keep your OTHER PROGRAMS, such as JAVA, Adobe Flash, up-to-date and you are safe as a cub with mama bear.

 

[scrapquitler]

Snapshot..............we had a laptop and a desktop that used XP in our house just a few months ago. We stepped up and got a Windows 7 laptop as a replacement and will disconnect our desktop from the internet in about a week or so.

Experts strongly suggest that we stop using Windows XP because it will no longer be secure.

This change will also force some people to stop using certain programs ans/or hardware. Our scanner, for example, can not be upgraded with out spending a modest amount for special software, so for a few bucks more we are getting a new entry level scanner.

We are not a computer savvy family and I am typing this so you guys and develop a low risk/low cost strategy for your computer needs.

Here are some suggestions from Geek Squad about what to do if you want to keep using Windows XP after the support for it ends. It's not as much of a big deal as you are imagining.

http://www.geeksquad.com/do-it-yourself/tech-tips/keep-windows-xp.aspx

 

[pad406]

Experts strongly suggest that we stop using Windows XP because it will no longer be secure.

Sorry, don't mean to offend, but would these be the same experts that said planes were going to fall out of the sky on 1/1/2000, that utilities would stop working. All they want to do is line their pockets. Yes, there was work to be done around the Y2K, but nothing near the scale that was reported and no danger.

You'd be better off listening to MomToOne. Oh, and I've been in the IT business for the last 25 years.

 

[tvguy]

The people still running Windows 3.1, Windows 95, and Windows 98 aren't having issues, so I doubt Windows XP users will as it fades away. Malicious software writers target the most popular operating systems. That's biggest reason Apple computers are so much less prone to viruses. It has nothing to do with the operating system being less vulnerable, it has to do with Mac's making up only about 8% of the total market. Malicious software writers are looking for the biggest bang for their effort.

 

[Ranger111]

Sorry, don't mean to offend, but would these be the same experts that said planes were going to fall out of the sky on 1/1/2000, that utilities would stop working. All they want to do is line their pockets. Yes, there was work to be done around the Y2K, but nothing near the scale that was reported and no danger.

I think these experts live in and around Redmond, Washington.

 

[ellone]

So what are 95% of ATMs going to do? Yep they run on XP.

 

[JeremyGNJ]

So what are 95% of ATMs going to do? Yep they run on XP.

Actually, the banks pay big bucks to get continued support from Microsoft. I mean MILLIONS.

And yes, after April, Windows XP *will* be suddenly insecure. Why? Because the malicious people (mostly Russian crime syndicates) most likely already know of flaws in XP, but they aren't yet exploiting them for fear that Microsoft will patch the flaws.

After Microsoft no longer releases fixes, those flaws will be attacked in full force.

However the bigger fear is the browser vulnerabilities. Make sure you run the latest possible version of your browser to mitigate a lot of risk.

 

[teller80]

I'm sorry, but this is just fear mongering. I am computer savvy (work in the industry). Windows XT won't suddenly "stop" being secure in April - it will be just as secure as it was in March. Microsoft will simply stop issuing fixes for any new security holes that are found from that point forward. Quite frankly, with all the years of security fixes that have already been done, it's fairly secure. I'd be more worried about your virus checking software, and whether or not it will be desupporting XT - which I haven't heard of any taking that step yet (although I admit I haven't been heavily monitoring for it either).

Honestly, on my home XT machine, I haven't installed security updates in ages. So come the first week of April, nothing will have changed for me. I will probably take the steps of making sure my machine has the latest Windows XT service pack installed, and any additional updates that came out after the service pack, but f I don't get to that I'm not going to stress. When I need more functionality out of my machine, or some hardware breaks, then I will upgrade. But that is likely to be awhile.

PC sales have been stagnant for many years - I believe all this hype about Windows XT being desupported is just a way to up hardware sales for a short time - and thereby also up the sales of Windows 8 licenses and lots of other software for Microsoft. It's funny how we never had this much hype when previous operating systems were desupported...

From someone not too tech savvy, what is the difference between Windows XT and Windows XP?

 

[Ranger111]

From someone not too tech savvy, what is the difference between Windows XT and Windows XP?

Uh, "cat on keyboard?"

I am 99 percent sure the poster who said XT, meant to type XP. In other words, a typo or brain freeze.

I blame all such errors I make on my cat, who loves to prowl the keyboard as I type.

 

[MomToOne]

From someone not too tech savvy, what is the difference between Windows XT and Windows XP?

Sorry - I've been dealing with an application called XT at work alot lately, and just mistyped XP as that. I fixed my post. Too many acronyms on the brain

 

[plummer925]

"Experts" also told us all to upgrade our computers for Y2K.

I have xp on my desktop and will not be making changes. And we are a VERY computer savvy family!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

This is the second thread here recently on this subject and it's just as silly as the first. There will be no problem running a computer with XP!

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Hey guys.............

I know that some of you are very computer savvy. We are part of the population that does not spend a lot of time tinkering with computers and software. To us...........its kinda like a washer or a dryer or a TV..........it is just an appliance that we use in the house.............and we don't try to repair or update those items.

Here were 2 things I was referring to...

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/26/smallbusiness/windows-xp-hackers/index.html

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


For those that have the knowledge and experience to continue a secure work around for the next few years, I am happy to know that you have an affordable solution. (After all--this is the budget board) But...........for someone that is just seeing the pop ups and is not computer savvy, I wanted to help them avoid some sort of data breach or virus type issues.

 

[tvguy]

Hey guys.............

I know that some of you are very computer savvy. We are part of the population that does not spend a lot of time tinkering with computers and software. To us...........its kinda like a washer or a dryer or a TV..........it is just an appliance that we use in the house.............and we don't try to repair or update those items.

Here were 2 things I was referring to...

http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/26/smallbusiness/windows-xp-hackers/index.html

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


For those that have the knowledge and experience to continue a secure work around for the next few years, I am happy to know that you have an affordable solution. (After all--this is the budget board) But...........for someone that is just seeing the pop ups and is not computer savvy, I wanted to help them avoid some sort of data breach or virus type issues.

The CNN article was most helpful, thanks for posting. So about 6% of all computers right now use XP. so I see it less of an issue now that when I first replied. I doubt malicious software writers are going to create new viruses for such a time slice of the pie.
I'll be honest, all these upgrades to operating systems, software and browsers are a giant pain. In the past few months we have had to add Google Chrome and Firefox to all our work computers because the internet based systems we use are not compatible with all browsers. The worst was the new online software we started using in February. It only works with Firefox.......but the training and support for that software only works with Explorer.

 

[psimon]

I'm sorry, but this is just fear mongering. I am computer savvy (work in the industry). Windows XP won't suddenly "stop" being secure in April - it will be just as secure as it was in March. Microsoft will simply stop issuing fixes for any new security holes that are found from that point forward. Quite frankly, with all the years of security fixes that have already been done, it's fairly secure. I'd be more worried about your virus checking software, and whether or not it will be desupporting XP- which I haven't heard of any taking that step yet (although I admit I haven't been heavily monitoring for it either).

Honestly, on my home XP machine, I haven't installed security updates in ages. So come the first week of April, nothing will have changed for me. I will probably take the steps of making sure my machine has the latest Windows XP service pack installed, and any additional updates that came out after the service pack, but f I don't get to that I'm not going to stress. When I need more functionality out of my machine, or some hardware breaks, then I will upgrade. But that is likely to be awhile.

PC sales have been stagnant for many years - I believe all this hype about Windows XP being desupported is just a way to up hardware sales for a short time - and thereby also up the sales of Windows 8 licenses and lots of other software for Microsoft. It's funny how we never had this much hype when previous operating systems were desupported...

ETA: I should have also pointed out that to upgrade your operationing system to Windows 7 or 8, you do not necessarily need to purchase new hardware. If you have enough memory and free disk space on you machine to meet the specs for those operating systems, you can probably install them. But many home XP machines are old enough to not have enough memory or disk space, that is why many people need to buy new sytems in order to upgrade. Also, even if you do manage to upgrade your current machine, many of your old peripherals might not have drivers availalbe for the newer operating system, and you might have to buy new ones of those to get something that works (this has been the case for everyone I know who has done this).

Thank you for a voice of sanity!

---Paul in Southern NJ

 

[Luvchefmic]

Thank you for a voice of sanity!

---Paul in Southern NJ

Yes thanks and everyone else that have reassured I have Windows XP and yes got the message from Microsoft re-this One of their solutions / suggestions : buy another computer yeah right not exactly on the top of my budget needs

 

[JeremyGNJ]

Hey guys.............

I know that some of you are very computer savvy. We are part of the population that does not spend a lot of time tinkering with computers and software. To us...........its kinda like a washer or a dryer or a TV..........it is just an appliance that we use in the house.............and we don't try to repair or update those items.

The difference is that your washer and dryer cannot steal your credit card number.