If security is your main concern you should be running one of the third-party anti-virus programs. Also NoScript or similar free programs. You can tighten up that XP pretty well. Are you running a firewall program or hardware firewall device?If the hackers can’t get to your system then lack of new MS updates doesn’t matter.
how about free multi-platform browsers and office programs? SeaMonkey is the modern replacement for and has the functionality of Netscape Communicator. Open Office or Libre Office instead of MS Office.
Ubuntu linux is free to download or cheap to order a CD or DVD.
It is your money but as others have said,it makes more sense to buy a refurbished off-lease system that will be newer and greater capability for less than a MS software disk.
You can buy a nice Dell desktop with Win7 for $100 shipped -do an ebay search. patience will let you eventually find a laptop there or elsewhere. Ham radio flea markets (hamfests) often have vendors with many computers for sale very reasonably.
Honestly if my phone co-op didn’t block the cheap dial-up ISPs I would probably still be using dial-up.If one isn’t downloading videos 56K is quite usable.Browsers (at least some) can beset to load pictures only on your request,etc.
I keep an old XP in the cellar for a back up, and use a newer laptop running W-7.
The W7 is fast and stable enough, but I really dislike the way the file menues present and the difficulty of selecting a file without missing the window a little with the cursor and having the menu disappear and having to start over again.
Having to scroll around looking for my file is a pain as well, and the list keeps popping up and down making it frustrating to catch a file even after I find it.
I can’t seem to maneuver up and down the filepath from explorer like I used to on XP.
W-XP was a lot more stable and intuitive.
Looking for some way to modify / retrofit W7 to operate more like XP, I found a program to do it (Windows will only offer it for PRO versions, which I don’t have) but it’s complexity scared me off.
Any suggestions?
I have so hardened my XP that I'm starting to wonder how it could be at risk.
I did complete XP reinstalls, and then all my Microsoft updates, EMET, free avast with online security, Comodo, Spyware blaster, Superantispyware, Malwarebytes and Glary Utilities for on demand scans, in Chrome and Firefox, I use Adblock plus, no-script, https everywhere, disconnect, WOT, Window name eraser, and I am probably going to install a free VPN.
I only intend to use it as a backup, but I do have the impression that I would still be pretty safe using it.
I have also tried to tweak the settings on everything, (cookies, search history, etc), do you have any advice or recommendations?