Still on Windows XP? Here’s Some Bad Advice

YAHOO tech ^ | Mar 28, 2014 | Rafe Needleman

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Wow! A mini Y2K.

[Gay State Conservative]

I have an old clunker that still runs fine with XP.I'll do one more “Windows Update” on it in the next week or so (assuming I can get through) and then I'll keep it off the web for the rest of its days.XP has one or two functions that I like...that's why I keep that clunker.

[minnesota_bound]

Pirate Bay : )
http://thepiratebay.se

[cva66snipe]

4 For Windows 8 users. Check out a program called “Classic Shell” it’s free (you can donate to the developer and I do every time I install it on a customers computer). It allows your windows 8 machine look and act like Windows 7 or XP.

It only makes the Start Menu look close to older systems. You still have to play peek a boo to find other functions. One interesting thing Classic Shell restores is "Hibernate". What makes many persons including myself loathe 8 is several unnecessary annoyances. Mandatory "Cloud" for one especially if on metered usage. The hiding of needed system settings on the bottom right. The annoyance is you have to play hide and seek and they often pop in in scrolling a page. The default X BOX Video player stinks. No "X" to close it. Yet another go to the corner and see if it's there annoyance. I like to have never got IE to allow me to open a window in a normal size. I got the one third screen compressed screen.

W 8 was poorly vetted among users. It seems the Tablet users were the BETA testers. The OS is designed mainly for accommodating Tablet users but not with long time desktop users in mind. Last is things like their default Mail Client. It stinks but Mr Haney at MS will now "Rent" Outlook to you in a high cost full package deal per year.

Yes long time MS customers had good reason to be angry. In all aspects except maybe security W 8 is a huge downgrade from what previous OS offered up through W 7. It seems more like the beginning of an Internet Slum Lord program. Most things you had before included you can now rent at the mercy of Corp MS. Meaning they can end your access to said app at any time.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

Is the computer connected to the internet?

If not, leave it as is.

[steve86]

I enjoy these threads.

My aging eyes first read that as 'I enjoy these threats'.

[steve86]

My 2004 XP laptop is only used for tuning the tecGT engine management on my MR2. I turned off the wi fi so there is no security threat.

I have a couple of old 1999-2003! Compaq laptops I use for similar legacy app support -- an OBD-II interface, a 2m Walkie-talkie interface, and a handheld GPS interface. These machines have no personal information, heaven forbid no financial information, and although they connect to the world through my routers, I fail to see the threat. Other personal machines are Linux. If the OS were entirely lost I would restore it via an image backup. I do monitor and run AV on the XP machines occasionally but so far, nothing.

[Carriage Hill]

LOL. Damn those MS folks!

[steve86]

I have an old clunker that still runs fine with XP.I'll do one more “Windows Update” on it in the next week or so

Consider doing a partition image backup afterward for safekeeping with Ping or similar, as I'm going to do.

[WilliamofCarmichael]

Support ends . . . .

"Will Microsoft Security Essentials be supported after April 8, 2014?

"Microsoft Security Essentials will not be available for download on Windows XP after April 8, 2014. If you already have Microsoft Security Essentials installed, you will continue to receive anti-malware signature updates through July 14, 2015. However, please note that PCs running Windows XP after April 8, 2014 should not be considered protected.

"Will Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool be supported after April 8, 2014?

"Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal Tool is aligned with the company's anti-malware engines and signatures, and as such the removal tool will continue to be provided for Windows XP through July 14, 2015. However, any PC running Windows XP after April 8, 2014 should not be considered protected as there will be no security updates for the Windows XP operating system."

[newfreep]

As an IT professional, I would suggest folks to get off XP. The same is true with Office 2003, Project 2003, and Visio 2003.

Would running Win8.1 and using Office 2003 be safe?

[newfreep]

I used Win7 for many moons - far more stable than XP.

My new ASUS Ultrabook came with Win8 which I immediately upgraded to Win8.1. Easily the best and fastest of any MS OS I’ve used.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

On XP now. Had a 1 TB drive I thought it was bad so I replaced it. Had other hardware problems now fixed. Old drive is still good. Would like to go to a dual boot with Linux as the primary on the old drive. Any ideas where to start?

[Daveinyork]

XP is so much more intuitive than 7 or 8. If it ain’t broke, why fix it?

I needed to get a laptop quickly last fall, so I got on at BJ’s. I think it’s a Dell, (dude). I always have trouble figuring out how to boot to the window desktop, but I don’t use it very much. I couldn’t get outlook 2007 to install on it. The only thing it’s good for is hooking it up to my flat screen TV and watching Amazon instant video.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

What a crock. XP disconnected from the internet is as secure as it gets. My PC runs too well on it to just dump it.

Running Virtual Box for Windows with Linux Mint on a VM gives me all the internet access I need...and I get to keep my XP and all the applications I love.

Windows 7 and 8 are good operating systems...for me to poop on.

[Sun]

R you prolife? Find out about Linux and software that will set your computer free from the shackles of Microsoft.

http://prolifepc.com/resources.html

[Sun]

“I’ve been using Linux for the past 5 years . ..”

Plus, Linus doesn’t give to Planned Parenthood, like Bill Gates does.