XP-Forever, Help me fight "change"

[ironworker]

Question:  is anyone planning to fully support the "after-end-of-life" XP market?

 

I've had enough "change", thank you.  Microsoft will no longer support XP after April, 2014, what can I do?

 

I'm age 64, an engineering consultant, and I use XP-Pro-SP3.  All of my old-old software (Office 2000, Photoshop CS3, CadLite, etc.) all work fine on XP.  All of my old-old printers and other periperhals are just fine, thank you.

 

It's taken me 10 years to self-train and master every subtle detail and nuance of XP, and I don't want to change.

 

I want to make what I've got work safely and productively for another 2 or 3 years.

 

I'm not alone in this, and many old timers want to stay with XP.

 

My question - - This certainly looks like a business opportunity, and I'm surprised that there is not an  "XP-Forever" suite of software for sale someplace within the mainstream world of add-on software.

 

I have read that this French company [removed by moderation] sells something called  [removed by moderation]  - - You pay, you sign up, and you get a daily dose of replacement patches similar to Windows Essentials upgrades.  However, I have written to them, and they are too busy setting up major XP corporate clients... to busy to accept one small office like mine, which has 5 XP machines.

 

So, I'm looking for some suggestions - - is anyone planning to support the "after-end-of-life" XP market?

 

Thanks,

 

IW

Edited January 27, 2014 by Andavari
Please use normal fonts which aren't an eyesore. Link to that site removed, could be considered spam.

[hazelnut]

I don't see companies offering to sell 'extended support' for XP as something I would ever risk buying into.

 

You will have known for quite a while now that this was coming. You could have perhaps looked at ways of locking your systems down knowing that Microsoft will still be offering security protect until July 2015 in the form of Microsoft Security Essentials.

 

Good luck with your search but it looks like you will end up with 2 choices... stay as you are or move to Win 7. 

[mta]

I think the biggest problem faced for this sort of endeavour is that you will be backing a dying horse.

It won't be next month, or even next year, but like 95, 98, Me, 2000, and NT, it WILL die.

 

Just as a small, specific example; hardware companies (let's use HP printers as an example) will sooner rather than later, be making products that they have no requirement to make work under non-supported OS's.

Then add to that; toners, servicing and all the other sort of supply-chain organisations that hang off the main product line and they all will drop the support as the capital revenue dries up.

They are after-all in it for the money.

 

So although XP global usage is sitting somewhere around 40%, that won't be going up, can only go down, rather consistently over the next year or two, so sadly, all the XP users have to upgrade or struggle on.

Eventually, the upgrade option will be the lesser of the two evils.

 

And glad to have you on the forum, hope you enjoy it.

[krit86lr]

I say that if you use a good AntiVirus, a software & hardware firewall, and use a safe browser & safe browsing practices you'll probably be fine.  I believe Andavari plans to stick with XP for a few more years as well so he might have some ideas too.  Oh, and run CCleaner daily too of course

[hazelnut]

Running XP in the future in a business environment though is fraught with more damaging possibilites than just as a home user.

[Nergal]

I wouldn't trust that site in the original post further than an armless man can throw without using prosthetics

[krit86lr]

Running XP in the future in a business environment though is fraught with more damaging possibilites than just as a home user.

 

Absolutely, but it sounds like he's a freelance consultant?

[hazelnut]

I wouldn't trust that site in the original post further than an armless man can throw without using prosthetics

I've de-linked the live link.

[Winapp2.ini]

I wouldn't trust that site in the original post further than an armless man can throw without using prosthetics

what if he has telekinesis?

[Tasgandy]

I like you ironworker am a great fan of and still use one PC with XP Pro SP3. Also dual boots to Ubuntu to keep my hand in.

 

However I find I'm using it these days less and less due to "No XP Drivers" for the new equipment I purchase and use with my Win 7 and Mac OSX computers. I find that more and more equipment both input and output devices do not have drivers for XP With some effort I can sometimes find "ways around" some issues BUT like me and my approaching 68 years young next month the writing is on the wall.

 

However this is the ideal place that you have landed in to ask for assistance should and when you experience any software/hardware related issues. There really is a wealth of information/assistance here in the Piriform Forum. We are all only to pleased to lend a hand where we can to Newbies and longtime members alike. Welcome to the Forum ironworker.

[login123]

For an individual user it is probably possible to lock win xp down and use it until the hardware fails. 

Just my opinion, certainly not the view of the vocal majority. 

 

For a business it is too risky on several fronts, imho. If your system leaks customer or priviliged trade information, it might increase your liability if you are running a "non-supported OS".  I think it would, but even if not the situation would attract all the lawyers swimming nearby. 

 

Also, if your hardware fails and the replacements won't run on xp, you have to scramble to catch up just to get business done. 

 

That said I intend to run xp until it becomes impossible, for the same reasons as others here. 

But this computer is not critical to my livelihood, and it won't endanger others. 

[Alan_B]

All of my old-old software (Office 2000, Photoshop CS3, CadLite, etc.) all work fine on XP.  All of my old-old printers and other periperhals are just fine, thank you.

 

It's taken me 10 years to self-train and master every subtle detail and nuance of XP, and I don't want to change.

 

I want to make what I've got work safely and productively for another 2 or 3 years.

You might be able to do this for even longer than 3 years so long as nothing bad comes in from the Internet, and nothing sensitive escapes out to the Internet.

 

I guess you could install a Network Server of some sort that could protect your XP computers from direct contact with the Internet,

only releasing to the Internet the content which you choose to release,

e.g. totalling blocking all the ports which XP leaves wide open for malware to penetrate and extract credit card info and Intellectual Property;

and scanning everything that comes in from the Internet and totally blocking any virus.

 

It would also be very wise to use partition image backups to recover from any user mistakes or any new malware that does penetrate before signatures are determined.

[login123]

Quite a few old softwares will just install and run on my win 7 computer. 

You might be pleasantly surprised.

Also there is xp mode in win 7, never used it, maybe others here have.  

If you have a friend with win 7 you might even "borrow" a computer to try out your options. 

[Andavari]

I've de-linked the live link.

 

I've removed the link entirely. 

[Andavari]

I believe Andavari plans to stick with XP for a few more years as well so he might have some ideas too.

 

I'll stick with it as long as I have hardware available that's either new or refurbished/used. I'm not worried about my printer/scanner, just got a new Kodak not all that long ago that supports XP up to Win8x, and I know they'll have ink for years but if they change that I could fill the ink myself.

 

The whole you need a good antivirus thing is true for the majority of people. For me however I've only needed antivirus just once in the 11 years I've used XP (note that allot of common sense goes along with having a good antivirus program) but it wasn't any antivirus that detected an adware/spyware installer it was Malwarebytes Anti-Malware that caught it in the setup files which is something I always try to manually unpacked to inspect.

[DennisD]

Luckily I'm in the fortunate position of being able to go out tomorrow and buy myself a brand spanking new computer, and I have looked over recent months, but shame on Microsoft that for me they haven't developed anything since XP to even remotely interest me.

 

And I have played extensively with computers belonging to relatives installed with both Win7 and Win8. Neither has anything that interests me in the slightest.

 

I will stick with XP until either it or me bites the dust.

 

Security-wise I have no issues or worries at all about the demise of support. Even if Avast and every other security software company ceases to support XP, I will still have no concerns as I'm a long time user of "Virtual" protection (SandBoxie, Returnil and Power Shadow) which IMHO is superior to running an A/V anyway, although I still do run an A/V probably out of habit.

 

Lets face it, within a couple of days (or probably a lot less) of MS patches being released, they were usually compromised and in need of further patching. Either way, they never seemed to be secure for long and for a lot of people they caused more problems than any other single computer factor.

 

Hardware wise, I run an old Epson Stylus colour printer, which will probably outlive me and my XP.

 

I won't miss MS's support for XP and I for sure won't be moving away from XP.

 

Of course, this rant is based upon a "Home" user environment.

 

 

EDIT: Welcome to the forum by the way IW. You're definitely amongst friends here.  

[eL_PuSHeR]

I think keeping ol' good XP is okay for older hardware. But if you have new hardware you better get something newer. Just my two cents.

[Willy2]

- Find a good Anti virus program that still supports and will support XP in the future.

- Put all your computers behind a hardware router, don't connect to the internet directly.

- MS Security Essentials will support XP until mid 2015.

- I also still like XP but alas my old XP laptop doesn't have wireless hardware installed. To use wireless internet I was forced to move to my Win 7 laptop.

[login123]

I think keeping ol' good XP is okay for older hardware. But if you have new hardware you better get something newer. Just my two cents.

 

+1 to that. 

I got a new HP computer last year, UEFI, GPT, fairly fast. 

Thought "OK, I'll just fix a dual boot rig and run XP alongside win 7. Easy." 

Easy . . . Ha. 

No xp drivers available for the computer hardware.   This was about 18 months before microsoft abandons xp. 

Finally got it going using a driver written by Fernando 1 over at MSFN forums. 

Couldn't have done it without lots of time and the good fortune to find Fernando's driver. 

Not nearly worth it unless you like to play at computer stuff.

 

edit:  And last time I checked, EasyBCD was not working with GPT.  May have changed by now. 

[rridgely]

I can understand not wanting win8 but I can't imagine still using an xp era computer. Granted I've been spoiled with relatively high end hardware but hardware has changed a lot since xp. I hate using computers without ssds now. Even brand new machines feel slow without one to me.

 

My advice is to pick up one of those HP win7 machines they are promoting. Win 7 is a huge improvement over xp in speed and reliability. Most of the functions/menus are the same.

[login123]

For advising ironworker you are right, he almost has to go on to win 7.

And, rridgely, knowing your history, I wouldn't argue if you said a pig could play a banjo. 

 

But . . .

In my limited experience, xp is as fast or faster than win 7, if other things are equal.
I have a new fairly fast win 7 desktop, dual boot win 7 & win xp.  Xp is faster on all counts, same hardware.
I have an old fairly fast desktop, xp only, xp on it is as fast as win 7 on the new one. 

True in spite of the faster processor and increased RAM on the new one. 

 

Still, the effort to keep win xp going wouldn't be worth it unless one just enjoys tinkering with computers. 

And it may all go wrong anyway if the pundits are right and a flood of malware hits the 'net when support for xp stops. 

[Andavari]

My advice is to pick up one of those HP win7 machines they are promoting. 

 

Believe me I'd use any other brand of computer even with Win8 which I absolutely can't stand before I'll ever buy anything from HP again.

[rridgely]

Believe me I'd use any other brand of computer even with Win8 which I absolutely can't stand before I'll ever buy anything from HP again.e

 

My current laptop is an Asus which I like well enough. The hardware is rock solid and the screen is really nice.

However it came with a ton of bloatwear, to the point that I chose to reinstall windows to get rid of it. HP used to include a "clean" partition on their windows 7 computers which didn't have any bloatwear except the required drivers. I'm not sure if they still do or not.

 I wouldn't buy a hp printer ever again but the laptops ive seen from them lately look nice enough. I saw one at bestbuy that was a macbook pro clone that was really nice, only thing I didn't like was the metal rather than glass touchpad.

[DennisD]

I think HP became infamous on here for the problems their driver updates always seemed to cause, besides the folk with peripheral hardware issues.

 

But, I have to say this HP Compaq Presario Desktop computer, which I bought new in Nov 2006, has been rock solid. I've replaced and added to the single CDROM drive and replaced the System Drive (although the original is still going strong as internal storage), but otherwise everything else is original.

 

This is my only computer (little Lenova notebook is the wife's) and has been absolutely hammered since 2006 with literally 1000's of CPU intensive video conversion processes in that time besides being used every single day and night. Can't be bad.

 

I hope to conti !!!!!

[login123]

Dennis, I have one from 2006, same situation, still going strong, gets hard workouts.  Knock on wood. 

 

Got a win 7 box last year and had to send it back for warranty work. 

New DVD player, reinstalled the OS.

Maybe they got a bad group of subcontractors or something, but their forums have lots of folks mentioning hardware failures. 

 

I was going to withhold comment (imagine that) but couldn't.  I won't have another HP because of software and BIOS issues.

 

But for Ironworker, it might not be a bad solution, just get the extended warranty.