Is The End of XP The End of Your PC?

Posted on October 30, 2013

XP Gravestone This week Microsoft reminded everyone that support for Windows XP, the operating system they have supported since 2001, will end on April 8, 2014. The reminder came in the form of a warning; XP computers have an infection rate that is six times higher than Windows 8. When support ends, Windows XP users will no longer receive security updates, making them even more vulnerable to hackers.

Wow, talk about a Halloween scare! I still have an XP machine at home and, before you start laughing, I found Im not alone. According to NetMarketShare, 31 percent of PCs that accessed the Internet in September used the Windows XP operating system.

Ok, so now what do I do?

There are three newer versions of Windows that you could upgrade to: Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1. Windows 8.1 is the only version you can purchase through Microsofts website, however Windows 7 and 8 are available for purchase at many online retailers.

Which version you select may depend on your computers hardware. Microsoft recommends these minimum system requirements:

Processor: 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- Windows 8 and 8.1 require a processor with support for PAE, NX, and SSE2 (more info)
RAM: 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
Hard disk space: 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
Graphics card: DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

If youre not sure what any of that means, Microsoft has a free Upgrade Advisor download for each version, which will help you determine if your PC is capable of running a newer version of Windows.

Microsofts website has several tutorials and suggestions for upgrading to each version (here is the tutorial for XP to 7). The basic steps are:

Download and run the free Windows Upgrade Advisor to see if your PC meets the minimum system requirements.
Move files to an external source using the free Windows Easy Transfer program.
Install the newer version of Windows.
Restore files with Windows Easy Transfer.
Reinstall programs and drivers.

And if youre a small business still using Windows XP, Microsoft has a support for small business site with several helpful resources for upgrading your PCs from Windows XP to a newer release of Windows.

If you have other computers in the house that are already Windows 7 or higher and dont want to mess with upgrading your XP machine, check out our post on what to do when your PC is past its prime to properly dispose of it.

If you have a Windows XP machine, what do you plan to do?

This entry was posted in Central, Technology and tagged hackers, Microsoft, processor, RAM, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows XP.

How to setup XP mode and run a Virtual PC on your Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate computer. Skip to Content Skip to Footer. End content. About HP ,The end of Windows XP support: and what are your options? and the likelihood of your PC catching something nasty will increase, ,If you use your PC just for email article was saying that you have to have a high end set up to run Vista? had Vista x64 Ultimate on my PC for 04 , fun advice on everything from setting up your PC to finding your way around new capabilities. Page Index. and creative ways to use Windows Vista and your PC.,And explore dozens of fun, practical, and creative ways to use Windows Vista and your PC. Written by the editors and product testers at Windows Vista: ,Microsoft wants to remind you that if you're still using Windows XP, you will soon be on your own. We're now just officially under a year away from the , you should probably uninstall them to lock down your XP so be sure to check out PCWorlds guides to keeping your PC safe in the webs ,On April 8, XP reaches the end of the line. No, your XP computer won't suddenly blow up on that date. If your PC meets the requirements, ,Microsoft is not in the habit of supporting its operating systems (OSs) until the end of time. At some point, none of its current OS versions, from Windows XP Service ,Microsoft warns the end is near for Windows XP. If you continue to run Windows XP on your PC, Microsoft says youre on your own in just under a year.

Microsoft warns the end is near for Windows XP | PCWorld
Microsoft warns the end is near for Windows XP. If you continue to run Windows XP on your PC, Microsoft says youre on your own in just under a year.

Is Your Windows PC Nearing the End of Its Life? » TuneUp ...
Microsoft is not in the habit of supporting its operating systems (OSs) until the end of time. At some point, none of its current OS versions, from Windows XP Service

Windows XP: Prepare for the end - USA TODAY
On April 8, XP reaches the end of the line. No, your XP computer won't suddenly blow up on that date. If your PC meets the requirements,

How to keep your PC secure when Microsoft ends Windows XP ...
you should probably uninstall them to lock down your XP so be sure to check out PCWorlds guides to keeping your PC safe in the webs

Set your calendar for the end of Windows XP - PC & Tech ...
Microsoft wants to remind you that if you're still using Windows XP, you will soon be on your own. We're now just officially under a year away from the

The Best of Windows Vista: A Real-Life Guide to Windows ...
And explore dozens of fun, practical, and creative ways to use Windows Vista and your PC. Written by the editors and product testers at Windows Vista:

The Best of Windows Vista®: the Official Magazine: A real ...
fun advice on everything from setting up your PC to finding your way around new capabilities. Page Index. and creative ways to use Windows Vista and your PC.

The Windows Experience Index and your PC | ZDNet
If you use your PC just for email article was saying that you have to have a high end set up to run Vista? had Vista x64 Ultimate on my PC for 04

The end of Windows XP support: what it really means for ...
The end of Windows XP support: and what are your options? and the likelihood of your PC catching something nasty will increase,

Install and Run Virtual PC and XP Mode for Windows 7 | HP ...
How to setup XP mode and run a Virtual PC on your Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, or Ultimate computer. Skip to Content Skip to Footer. End content. About HP

Is The End of XP The End of Your PC?