# Microsoft Windows XP end of life



## round1 (1 Dec 2013)

I understand that Microsoft will not be supporting Windows XP after April 2014. I am wondering if I will be able to upgrade to Windows 8 on my 8 year old laptop or if I will have to consider a replacement.


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## NOAH (1 Dec 2013)

get a replacement but apparently, windows 7 is better than windows 8 and is stll available but may not be widely publicised.

as an aside did you run the upgrade advisor on your laptop and what is the spec?


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## sustanon (2 Dec 2013)

in 8 years, how often have you ever called Microsoft for support? Just keep going on XP until the laptop dies, it's past due already.


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## battyb (2 Dec 2013)

You can try the Microsoft Upgrade assistant, but for a laptop of that age I would be sending an email to Santa asking for a new one.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-ie/windows-8/upgrade-assistant-download-online-faq


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## Berni (2 Dec 2013)

sustanon said:


> in 8 years, how often have you ever called Microsoft for support? Just keep going on XP until the laptop dies, it's past due already.


The issue isn't how much you contact MS for support, it is how much MS provides security fixes to issues as they become known. The monthly updates will cease, and any vulnerabilities will remain open to exploitation.


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## AlbacoreA (2 Dec 2013)

You may have problems with drivers.  I just updated a 6yr old laptop to W7. There was no video driver for windows 8 for that chipset otherwise I would have put 8 on. 

Staying with Windows XP you run the risk of hacks and viruses, but then you've been doing this for a while since the newer windows are meant to be more secure. 

I can only imagine the screen on a 8yr old laptop is not the best. Unless you don't look at it much your eyes will thank you if you got a new one. That said we have a couple of old laptops 4~5yrs and the screens are as good if not better than many of the new budget laptops around.


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## markpb (2 Dec 2013)

Berni said:


> The issue isn't how much you contact MS for support, it is how much MS provides security fixes to issues as they become known. The monthly updates will cease, and any vulnerabilities will remain open to exploitation.



+1

Most people don't understand how important this is.


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## Leo (2 Dec 2013)

Being able to access updates is very important, but in XP, you have an OS that has been on the market many years, with many vulnerabilities discovered and fixed. 

To upgrade now, you are going to a new OS, which no doubt has many new vulnerabilities, all waiting to be discovered...So you may end up moving to a less secure platform, and one which will have a detrimental impact on the performance of your system.

Keep your AV/firwall up to date, and stick with XP for now. Then start to consider a new Windows 7 machine. It's still too early to move to 8.


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## AlbacoreA (2 Dec 2013)

I think you are missing that XP is architecturally weak in terms of security. 



http://www.siliconbeat.com/2013/11/06/security-concerns-growing-for-windows-xp/

http://www.biztechmagazine.com/article/2011/04/windows-7-vs-windows-xp-security-showdown

[broken link removed]


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## AlbacoreA (15 Dec 2013)

first497 said:


> Don't go for  Windows 8, it does not support most of the old applications. Get Windows 7, it is far better than Windows in terms of Appearance, security, user-friendly and supports most of the old program..



You can turn off metro so it looks just like Windows 7. 

The only problem I've had with 8 is some really ancient hardware doesn't work. 

What apps don't work for you?


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## dub_nerd (29 Apr 2014)

Well, it's started. If you're still using Windows XP, it's time to stop using Internet Explorer and go for a different browser. A major security flaw in all versions of IE will be fixed (eventually) for other Windows users, but not XP.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2148...ts-web-at-risk-and-xp-isnt-getting-a-fix.html


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## AlbacoreA (29 Apr 2014)

dub_nerd said:


> ....it's time to stop using Internet Explorer and go for a different browser. ...[/URL]



That was true many years past.


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## Leo (29 Apr 2014)

dub_nerd said:


> Well, it's started. If you're still using Windows XP, it's time to stop using Internet Explorer and go for a different browser.http://www.pcworld.com/article/2148...ts-web-at-risk-and-xp-isnt-getting-a-fix.html



That flaw affects all operating systems, not just XP. So in the short term, stop using Explorer no matter what OS you're using.


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## dub_nerd (29 Apr 2014)

dub_nerd said:


> Well, it's started. If you're still using Windows XP, it's time to stop using Internet Explorer and go for a different browser. A major security flaw in all versions of IE will be fixed (eventually) for other Windows users, but not XP.
> 
> http://www.pcworld.com/article/2148368/new-internet-explorer-zero-day-puts-web-at-risk-and-xp-isnt-getting-a-fix.html


 



Leo said:


> That flaw affects all operating systems, not just XP. So in the short term, stop using Explorer no matter what OS you're using.


 
However, you will be able to use IE again on the others, probably in the near future, but not XP. (Personally I'm happy to keep using it on a white list of sites I trust, but not on XP).


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## Leo (30 Apr 2014)

dub_nerd said:


> However, you will be able to use IE again on the others, probably in the near future, but not XP.



Very true, anyone still on XP should refrain from using IE for good.



dub_nerd said:


> (Personally I'm happy to keep using it on a white list of sites I trust, but not on XP).



Some of the big security players have been compromised themselves over the last year, so there really isn't such thing as a reliable white list any more.

There's more detail of the issue on the Microsoft Security Advisory.


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