Life after Windows XP?

Microsoft has ended Windows XP support on April 8, 2014. It’s also important to note that Office 2003 support ended on the same date. While Microsoft has announced that it will extend anti-malware protection for Windows XP, the message is clear: Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows XP, which means that bugs, glitches, and other vulnerabilities will remain perpetually unfixed.

Does this mean Windows XP will stop working on April 8, 2014?

Windows XP will continue to function normally after the end of support date, although there does seem to be a fair amount of misinformation on the Internet about this. For example, Google search volumes for “Windows XP end of life” outnumber “Windows XP end of support” by a fair amount.

Will Windows XP still get security updates?

Microsoft has said that Windows XP will no longer be updated or patched, and that includes security updates.

What are the risks of sticking with Windows XP?

In operating system terms, Windows XP is a dinosaur. It was designed in an era when smartphones, tablets, streaming media, and many modern technological conveniences simply didn’t exist. Even the World Wide Web was less than a decade old when Windows XP arrived on the scene, so Windows XP simply wasn’t designed to take full advantage of all those advancements. Perhaps most importantly, Windows XP will no longer be patched or updated.

Sticking with Windows XP

1. Keep Windows XP Antivirus Software current
Windows 7 and Windows 8 have a number of important security improvements over Windows XP, including BitLocker, picture password (in Windows 8), and dozens (if not hundreds) of other architectural improvements that make those Operating Systems much more resilient and hardened against security risks. That’s why it’s doubly important to pay special attention to your security infrastructure and your anti-virus software if you’re planning to stay with Windows XP. Malware and virus writers have been diligently working on exploits to vulnerabilities in Windows XP for more than a decade, and keeping your firewalls and other security services and platforms updated, patched, well-maintained, and monitored is one way to make your extended tenure with Windows XP more enjoyable.

2. Upgrade to Windows XP SP3
to the latest service pack for Windows XP is SP3, and everyone running Windows XP — whether a single home user or a massive corporation with thousands of clients — should be running on it. Microsoft isn’t planning to release any additional service packs for Windows XP, so SP3 has the absolute latest updates and improvements Microsoft has to offer for Windows XP, especially on the security front. Microsoft has lots of information about the specifics of Windows XP SP3, and you can find out more about upgrading to it on the Windows XP SP3 support page or download the XP SP3 update as an ISO image file.

3. Clean your system

Just in case:

·         Make two backups, in two different locations.

·         Clean your system using tools like CCleaner free version:  http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner

·         Run a complete Anti-Virus / Anti Malware scan

·         Make sure you have all installation media of programs used on the Windows XP machine.

If you need help, do not hesitate to call Glen on 5553337 or Olaf on 35777.

We can offer payment terms if you decide to purchase new workstations to replace existing Hardware

Please note: If purchasing new hardware insist on current Processors to guarantee proper performance with Windows seven or 8. Pentium processors are now also End of Life.    EOL Intel processors