Microsoft XP - security updates ended

Danniella

Hi there,

Wonder if you could advise since I am not "techy" at all.

We have a very old computer using XP. I use it for everything - banking, business invoices, googling etc.

I don't really want to buy a new PC given the fact that this one still works absolutely fine but now the security updates have finished, what can I do to protect it? Is there software I could buy?

I don't feel happy to do banking or anything on it until I know it is protected.

Please advise. Many thanks in advance.

espresso

Don't panic!

Your XP PC is still as secure as it was before 8th April when the M$ updates ended and is currently in use by millions around the world.

NiftyDigits

Brand name and model number of PC?

OneADay

Kind of depends on what bugs come along - for instance in IE browser.

Best thing would be to move onto another OS at some point in future - I would not want to be using XP after about 6 months of no new updates/fixes.

You could try Linux - but its a big leap if you are not techy. So best to go for Windows 7 if you can (and your pc can support it).

Danniella

NiftyDigits wrote: »

Brand name and model number of PC?

Its a HP Pavillion (about 8 years old)

Danniella

OneADay wrote: »

Kind of depends on what bugs come along - for instance in IE browser.

Best thing would be to move onto another OS at some point in future - I would not want to be using XP after about 6 months of no new updates/fixes.

You could try Linux - but its a big leap if you are not techy. So best to go for Windows 7 if you can (and your pc can support it).

How do I know if this old dinosaur of a PC is compatible with Windows 7. If it is, where do I get this from? (seriously not techy so excuse me for the stupid questions)

NiftyDigits

Brand name and model number of PC?

gardner1

OP.....this might help you a bit
http://www.expertreviews.co.uk/software/1304965/when-windows-xp-support-ends-this-is-how-you-secure-your-pc-and-save-all-updates

for starters stop using IE and go onto google chrome or firefox
if you use Microsoft office stop using it and change to openoffice or similar

OneADay

Danniella wrote: »

How do I know if this old dinosaur of a PC is compatible with Windows 7. If it is, where do I get this from? (seriously not techy so excuse me for the stupid questions)

Right click on Computer and select properties and then look at the processor type - post it on here on this forum.

As a guess, If its an 8 year old computer, I would imagine you have a Intel Pentimum 4 processor which ought to cope with Windows 7. But then you are looking at memory too - you would get that infromation at the same place as the processor information.

Windows 7 - min I think it needs 3Gig with a decent graphic card and processor. Windows 7 itself will cost you close to £100 for an upgrade version.

By the time you have done all of this, you would be better off investing in a new PC - a dell say would come for around £300 (desktop only) with an operating system installed (windows 8.1 most likely) and you can get discount of 10% sometimes going through cashback site.

I would recommend new PC if you cannot upgrade, its so much hassle and waste of time phaffing around with computer hardware / os - it simply is not worth it in the end and you lose money in long run doing that.

Danniella

OneADay wrote: »

Right click on Computer and select properties and then look at the processor type - post it on here on this forum.

As a guess, If its an 8 year old computer, I would imagine you have a Intel Pentimum 4 processor which ought to cope with Windows 7. But then you are looking at memory too - you would get that infromation at the same place as the processor information.

Windows 7 - min I think it needs 3Gig with a decent graphic card and processor. Windows 7 itself will cost you close to £100 for an upgrade version.

By the time you have done all of this, you would be better off investing in a new PC - a dell say would come for around £300 (desktop only) with an operating system installed (windows 8.1 most likely) and you can get discount of 10% sometimes going through cashback site.

I would recommend new PC if you cannot upgrade, its so much hassle and waste of time phaffing around with computer hardware / os - it simply is not worth it in the end and you lose money in long run doing that.

Thanks. I have just installed a free version of Kaspersky for 30 days. I agree though - think its time for a new PC very soon. Many thanks for all the comments/advice.

NiftyDigits

OneADay wrote: »

Right click on Computer and select properties and then look at the processor type - post it on here on this forum.

As a guess, If its an 8 year old computer, I would imagine you have a Intel Pentimum 4 processor which ought to cope with Windows 7. But then you are looking at memory too - you would get that infromation at the same place as the processor information.

Windows 7 - min I think it needs 3Gig with a decent graphic card and processor. Windows 7 itself will cost you close to £100 for an upgrade version.

By the time you have done all of this, you would be better off investing in a new PC - a dell say would come for around £300 (desktop only) with an operating system installed (windows 8.1 most likely) and you can get discount of 10% sometimes going through cashback site.

I would recommend new PC if you cannot upgrade, its so much hassle and waste of time phaffing around with computer hardware / os - it simply is not worth it in the end and you lose money in long run doing that.

Hyperbole. I'm running Celeron D single core on my PC and a Celeron Dual core on my laptop. Both with 2GB RAM. Seven and five years old respectively.

£20 would do it...not the hundred plus of which you speak.

But if she can't supply a model number, I would not expect her to be able to fit RAM...