Options

Microsoft ending support for Windows XP and Windows Vista

1161719212227

Comments

  • Options
    StigStig Posts: 12,446
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I am still running XP.
    My Windows Updates Are set for Thursday @ 9AM
    Yet today I have received another update.This is the 2nd one I have received since Microsoft were supposed to be ending support

    As above, this is the emergency patch for Internet Explorer.
  • Options
    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Surely if there is no support it should not be sending info back to Microsoft.

    If they now want to give any update they should supply a download link.
    Is that legal?
  • Options
    mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,308
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    alanwarwic wrote: »
    Surely if there is no support it should not be sending info back to Microsoft.

    If they now want to give any update they should supply a download link.
    Is that legal?
    Surely the stopping of support applied to XP itself, not to some of the additional software components that might be installed and used across other versions of Windows. Presumably, info sent to MS comprised those programs

    As for IE, it is a critical patch for what could be a serious exploit, so MS will want to patch every installed version of IE that is affected rather than leave it to choice.
  • Options
    IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,310
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    This IE patch fixed a very old bug, maybe they felt remorse :D They were going to fix it for those paying for the XP support anyway, they just gave this one away for free. But if they continue doing it, the paying customers may start to ask what they are actually paying for.
  • Options
    MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    XP for embedded systems is still supported for another 2 years (what they use in ATM's / Point of sale systems etc) and it was funny that they specifically mentioned it on the press release, so it was done for the embedded/pay for support people and with the press asking 24x7 it was obvious that they'd either give in or look bad and not put the patch up for everyone. Personally they should of let XP rot as they're just creating a rod for their own backs as everytime something happens on XP people will say "well you did a patch for x now surely you could just do this one for us now?"
  • Options
    mossy2103mossy2103 Posts: 84,308
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    IvanIV wrote: »
    This IE patch fixed a very old bug, maybe they felt remorse :D They were going to fix it for those paying for the XP support anyway, they just gave this one away for free. But if they continue doing it, the paying customers may start to ask what they are actually paying for.

    IE is a quite separate product from XP though. Any payment will be for the support of XP itself
  • Options
    IvanIVIvanIV Posts: 30,310
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    mossy2103 wrote: »
    IE is a quite separate product from XP though. Any payment will be for the support of XP itself

    They have builds of IE8 specifically for XP and XP 64bit. They had to fix those branches, not just IE8 as a product.
  • Options
    radioanorakradioanorak Posts: 4,247
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    I received the the update patch to IE earlier in the week.
    The up date I had to day was for
    Microsoft Visual C + redistributable
  • Options
    clycly Posts: 1,393
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Yes to the bit in bold but there are broad linux equivalents of paint shop pro (see http://alternativeto.net/software/paint-shop-pro/?platform=linux) and there's a linux programme called WINE (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine_%28software%29, http://www.winehq.org/about/) that (mostly) allows Windows programmes to run within the framework of a linux operating system.

    The Cyberlink software should be safe in a dual boot system but there's DVD and CD burning software available for linux (see http://www.techdrivein.com/2011/03/9-good-cd-and-dvd-burning-tools-for.html) plus there are assorted media players available too.
    emptybox wrote: »
    I think you'd be best advised to keep XP and dual boot with Linux, then you can boot into XP when you need to use Windows programs.
    By all means disconnect XP from the internet.

    You may find after a while that you can get by using the Linux equivalents to the Windows programs.

    Thanks to both for excellent answers. Yeah i'm certainly likely now to have both OS systems on for a while and not use XP on the internet. I'll have to read up on whether this dual boot means you have to turn the computer on and off to go from one to the other, unlike my three browsers where you can go from one to the other and even have all three running together very harmoniously (Google Chrome, IE and Firefox)

    Incidentally i uninstalled PSP and installed it on Windows 7 as i tend to have the odd glitch with networking my W7 attached printer with my XP pc - it intermittently wants to hide lol. PSP XI is working absolutely fine on W7.
  • Options
    NewWorldManNewWorldMan Posts: 4,915
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    XP users might find this useful...

    10 Ways to Keep Windows XP Machines Secure
  • Options
    TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,417
    Forum Member
    cly wrote: »
    Thanks to both for excellent answers. Yeah i'm certainly likely now to have both OS systems on for a while and not use XP on the internet. I'll have to read up on whether this dual boot means you have to turn the computer on and off to go from one to the other, unlike my three browsers where you can go from one to the other and even have all three running together very harmoniously (Google Chrome, IE and Firefox)

    Incidentally i uninstalled PSP and installed it on Windows 7 as i tend to have the odd glitch with networking my W7 attached printer with my XP pc - it intermittently wants to hide lol. PSP XI is working absolutely fine on W7.

    I'd also suggest backing up all important data on that PC before embarking on that task just in case. I've already replaced Windows on my laptop (see http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1942343&page=4) with LXLE. One thing that I'm doing is trying out assorted Linux distributions to see how I get on with them for the tower PC and that's easily done.

    Go to the relevant website, download the appropriate 32bit or 64bit operating system (see http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windowsxp/ht/windows-xp-32-bit-64-bit.htm), burn it on to a DVD (over 700MB)/CD (under 700MB) and write the downloaded ISO file to the disk using the Imgburn software (see https://neosmart.net/wiki/burning-iso-images-with-imgburn/). Reboot the PC with the Linux DVD in place and the PC should run the Linix operating system from the DVD for you to try out.

    The preferred Linux variant can then be installed as a dual boot set up and I'd suggest googling the name of the preferred version of Linux with the words 'dual boot' to find out more.
    XP users might find this useful...

    10 Ways to Keep Windows XP Machines Secure

    Yes, and Jack Schofield has also covered similar ground: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/askjack/2014/apr/11/how-can-i-use-windows-xp-safely-now-its-no-longer-supported
  • Options
    Fried KickinFried Kickin Posts: 60,132
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I must say I really do like LXLE :)
    I would have ditched XP entirely and been 100% Linux based if it weren't for an MMO that I play on XP.
  • Options
    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Interesting stats.

    At demise 7 was more likely to be infected than XP with Vista over 25% more likely.
    XP infections run at less than 1 per every 40 PCs and Vista 1 per 33.
  • Options
    njpnjp Posts: 27,583
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Statistics are only interesting if they are reliably sourced. Otherwise, they might just be made up.
  • Options
    MaxatoriaMaxatoria Posts: 17,980
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    I wonder if that 1 in 40 includes machines hidden behind firewalls etc that never see the light of the internet day?
  • Options
    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Sounds logical and reflects the type of user.
    I lost the link but here is a different one.
    http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft-windows-xp-malware-infection-rate-nearly-six-times-higher-than-windows-8

    Very different, as reported by Microsoft using maybe MSE. Detection is one third of the totals or less.
    3rd parties overplay malware detection whilst MSE's higher post fix style detection maybe lowers its rate.
  • Options
    NewWorldManNewWorldMan Posts: 4,915
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    njp wrote: »
    Statistics are only interesting if they are reliably sourced. Otherwise, they might just be made up.

    They're from Microsoft! I doubt they're made up, especially as, on the surface, they show XP to be safer - exactly what Microsoft does not want!
  • Options
    Fried KickinFried Kickin Posts: 60,132
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 838
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    This morning:

    Windows found 5 updates.

    One of them: Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool - May 2014 (KB890830)
    The others are Security Updates for Microsoft Office 2007.
  • Options
    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Seems this Zero Day flaw has been there for 9 months now.

    http://www.cnet.com/uk/news/zero-day-flaw-haunts-ie-8-for-7-months-and-counting/

    I guess there could be a fair few others that Microsoft known about and have had likely ignored.
  • Options
    alanwarwicalanwarwic Posts: 28,396
    Forum Member
    ✭✭✭
    Apparently XP is affectively "Windows Embedded POSReady"

    http://betanews.com/2014/05/26/how-to-continue-getting-free-security-updates-for-windows-xp-until-2019/

    I imagine it will have software not on XP so the 2019 simple support trick could be an easy way to end up killing the PC.
  • Options
    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 838
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    Just seen prev post.

    (but on Lifehacker)
  • Options
    Fried KickinFried Kickin Posts: 60,132
    Forum Member
    ✭✭
    XP still running on 25% of PC's
    Win7 seems to be picking up the XP migrants.
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/06/02/microsoft_windows_7_half_way_milestone/
  • Options
    TelevisionUserTelevisionUser Posts: 41,417
    Forum Member
    XP still running on 25% of PC's
    Win7 seems to be picking up the XP migrants.
    http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/06/02/microsoft_windows_7_half_way_milestone/

    It is an indictment Microsoft's handling of concerns over the design of Windows 8 that XP still has a quarter of the operating system market and that former XP users are going to Win 7 rather than Win 8. Indeed, they're still having to offer Win 7 Professional for business users and others because of the Windows 8 omnishambles: http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-extends-date-for-oem-preloads-of-windows-7-for-business-users-7000026362/

    This also reflects what's going on locally where PC repairers are offering XP users upgrades to Win 7.
  • Options
    LION8TIGERLION8TIGER Posts: 8,484
    Forum Member
    It is an indictment Microsoft's handling of concerns over the design of Windows 8 that XP still has a quarter of the operating system market and that former XP users are going to Win 7 rather than Win 8. Indeed, they're still having to offer Win 7 Professional for business users and others because of the Windows 8 omnishambles: http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-extends-date-for-oem-preloads-of-windows-7-for-business-users-7000026362/

    This also reflects what's going on locally where PC repairers are offering XP users upgrades to Win 7.

    Windows 9 should be appearing sometime next year and on the one good next bad and so on that MS seem to do, maybe it will be a good un. I'm on XP and if I do change I think it would be to 7, give 8 a miss and try 9 ( money permitting).
    I gave Linux a go (probably not long enough of a go) and didn't get on with it.
    It was Ubuntu, I believe there are easier ones these days to make the switch.
Sign In or Register to comment.