XP the end?

KxMx

victor2 wrote: »

Interesting article, but I would think the average sensible home user with an up-to-date AV package (free one but not MSE as I assume updates for that will also stop), would be at a very low risk.

How long until the other AV's stop supporting XP though, those are the kind of questions needing to be asked and which ever answers people are comfortable with should lead them into upgrading or not.

Timalay

My netbook is still running ok with XP, when I get the chance I might get Linux installed on it instead.

aerostar

KxMx wrote: »

How long until the other AV's stop supporting XP though, those are the kind of questions needing to be asked and which ever answers people are comfortable with should lead them into upgrading or not.

Avast still updates their definitions on my windows 98.

chunter

poppellerant wrote: »

I wouldn't like to do my internet banking on an XP machine after next year. I'm not trying to say it's at immediate risk, but I would rather avoid risks especially when it comes to my finances.

XP is wide open, it has real problems with rootkits and even the best antivirus stuff won't stop them.

Windows 7 isn't really that much different from Windows XP. The chances are, Windows 7 will run as well as Windows XP does now, without upgrading too much. If you do upgrade, I would choose memory first.

Windows 7 installation is 14gb, Windows xp with service packs and updates is half that tops. The first version of Windows XP came with firewall switched off as default. Windows XP wasn't built for the internet. Windows 7 was.
If you're going for Windows 7, which you should imo, Makes sure and get a 64-bit machine and the 64-bit windows 7.
32bit machines/OSs are limited to using 3gb of RAM.

googler

chunter wrote: »

XP is wide open, it has real problems with rootkits and even the best antivirus stuff won't stop them.

I'm running two XP machines, have done for a number of years, and the only time I've had a virus was when one of them was running Vista. I downgraded to XP on that machine after that.

From my point of view, your concerns are overly pessimistic.

ballyblack

Windows 9 will be better

anybody any idea when windows 9 be available??

is it years away?

poppellerant

chunter wrote: »

XP is wide open, it has real problems with rootkits and even the best antivirus stuff won't stop them.
Windows 7 installation is 14gb, Windows xp with service packs and updates is half that tops. The first version of Windows XP came with firewall switched off as default. Windows XP wasn't built for the internet. Windows 7 was.
If you're going for Windows 7, which you should imo, Makes sure and get a 64-bit machine and the 64-bit windows 7.
32bit machines/OSs are limited to using 3gb of RAM.

Could you explain why XP is wide open? I know of several people who use XP relatively trouble free. Fully updated, with recent, updated antivirus software.

This is a MSE forum and telling somebody to get a 64-bit computer doesn't seem very MSE-friendly.

Graystreet

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Which machine? Make and model?

Difficult to give advice on the best way to upgrade until we know either the above or at least the spec of the PC.

For what it's worth I'm running 32 Bit Win7 Home Premium on a 7 year old 2.8 GHz Pentium D Vaio with 2 Gb of memory and it runs fine. OK, not much good if you want to a lot of Video editing but fine for everyday use.

danthemoneysavingman

Hi, it really depends on the capabilities of your computer. Windows 7 is great imho but if you're running on very little RAM and a rather old processor, you'll probably struggle.
Indeed, as folk above are saying (in general), you'll probably be fine with XP for now.
Good luck anyway. Buying a (more) modern computer may be the way forward if you want to 'upgrade'! obv budget-dependent.

almillar

Ballyblack - Windows 8 only came out last year, with 8.1 (a great update by all accounts) due anytime. I wouldn't hang around waiting for Windows 9!
Windows XP will stop being supported, and patches released, by MS in 2014. It came out in 2001. It had 3 Service Packs which did change it a good bit, but seriously, it's OLD!
I think it's bad advice to tell people that if they have no problems, keep going with it. They could be running umpteen virii and not know it.
I think the advice should be, if you know the risks, go ahead. That might sound paranoid but maybe it'll reduce the number of spambots on the internet!
In my experience of any PC I've seen run XP, and 7, 7 runs just as well. It's a lot more efficient than XP. A P4 upwards with at least a gig of RAM I'd say, and some sort of decent graphics (built in at this age will be rubbish) should be on Win7 if you want to keep using it.