Mary R. writes:
You told us what and why XP support would be ending in April 2014, but not what we can/have to do about it. Microsoft obviously doesn’t give a darn.
Mary, you can’t do anything about it XP support ending, but here’s what you can do to ensure that you have a safe system. If your computer is capable of handling a new system, you can upgrade to Windows 7 or to Windows 8.
You can download Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor to see if your system is compatible by clicking here.
You can download Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant to see if your system is compatible by clicking here.
Or you can choose to buy a new computer. Most new computers will have Windows 8 installed. You might be able to find a computer with Windows 7 or have one built and 7 installed as the operating system. You could also choose to purchase a Mac and go with Apple’s operating system or a Chrome Book that is intended almost exclusively for online use or maybe even swap for a tablet like an iPad or the many tablets that run the Android operating system.
~ Cynthia
No more XP Support DOES NOT mean that you need to spend money on an upgrade or new computer within the next 6 months!!!
I posed the same question to my website manager since our company’s proprietary software requires a 32 bit computer. With 20+ computers it is financially impossible to rewrite our software, much less update or replace all our systems.
The common sense response was that since hundreds of millions of XP systems are still in use, Microsoft might abandon support but there are plenty of security companies that will continue to support XP with their Security Suites (Firewall, Anti Virus, etc). Before you commit to any contract however, be certain to investigate how they will continue to protect your system.
We intend to continue with what we have UNTIL we can no longer obtain legacy HARDWARE for our systems.
While there are private security option available for businesses, there really isn’t anything that makes financial sense for the home user. Since an upgrade could cost a business millions, spending thousands of dollars for private third-party support might make financial sense. But since a home user can upgrade by spending $200 on Windows 7 or 8 or a few hundred dollars on a new computer, it makes much more sense to upgrade.
Cynthia,
I generally really like that approach and presentation that you use in response to reader questions. However, for this XP support question, users should be told that if:
1. They are not running programs that require MS Windows and have no Linux alternative,
2. Basically all they use their computers for is e-mail, browsing the web, writing letters, doing spreadsheets, and the like,
then Linux may be an option that they should consider.
Chances are that their existing computer hardware will not only work fine running the latest Linux, it likely will perform better than it did under XP.
In addition, if they are running software that requires XP, they can install Linux ‘alongside’ XP and possibly use Linux Wine to run that software.
Bill
I usually enjoy your advice and tips, but I think that u do a major disservice to your following to tell someone to upgrade to windows 8 from a computer designed for XP without expanding on how badly windows 8 functions. Windows 8 is so bad that upon its release the geeks started to work on 8.1 at microsoft. For a user who is accustomed to XP , to suggest buying a new computer is also poor. The very, very least u could have done was to explain that Windows 8 has at best a very steep, frustrating learning curve . I bought an ipad at the same time and I wish now that I had just bought the Apple Mac.i learned the ipad on a few days windows “”8 is still very difficult be cause NOThing is where it was and bing actually is designed to interfere. With google. U know that! Warn your followers and tell the truth. The windows 8 geeks hardly know the stuff either. To name a few no start button, control panel difficult to find, poor explanations, Lack of forums with knowledgeable answers, to the mess, bing re direction, non functioning with chrome, interference with Adobe by Bing etc. I have played with this for over a month and Every thing that I have learned I totally did it alone. Sorry the Pitts the current Microsoft call center with the non English speakers who r now trained to hang up on u.
Erlene, there are varying reactions to Windows 8 – some people (including me) like it a lot. And while there’s a learning curve, it’s not so steep once you learn a few tricks. That being said, if you want a PC, Windows 7 or 8 are your available options. Erlene, if you have any specific questions about Windows 8, be sure to ask us – we may be able to help you find your way around.
What about tablets running Windows XP? How do we go about upgrading those?