Reminder: Support for Win 2K, XP SP2 Ends July
Now is a good time to ditch the old-school OS for a spiffier Windows 7.
Consumers and businesses still using Windows 2000 (desktop and server) and Windows XP SP2 will see the end of Microsoft's official tech support on July 13, 2010. This means both parties will no longer receive security updates, support assistance, or help from paid support. But all is not lost: users of both operating systems will still have access to self-help online support for at least another year.
Microsoft originally gave notice of the termination back in April 2008 when it released Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. "This announcement is in line with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy for Windows service packs.," the company said. "This policy states that when a new service pack is released, Microsoft will provide 24 months of support for the previous service pack for products that belong to the Windows product family."
Microsoft also stated that Windows XP transitioned from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase back on April 14, 2009 after the release of SP3. During this phase, Microsoft will continue to provide paid support and security updates at no additional charge. However, the company plans to terminate (aka "retire") Windows XP on April 8, 2014. Currently memorial services for the popular, die-hard OS have not been confirmed.
For those still using Windows XP with SP2 installed, the best way to extend the life of the OS is to (gasp) update to SP3. This can be done via Internet Explorer's Windows Update utility. Then again, this would be a good time to ditch Windows XP altogether and grab a copy of Windows 7--an upgrade that is well worth it.
Could you explain? I hadn't heard of that, and jumped on the Win7 bandwagon soon after it was released.
I can see it being a problem. Hackers know that XP is still very popular. And once security support ends, they also know that XP SP2 is vulnerable. Popularity + vulnerability = potential security disaster.
Well don't do anything the CIA and NSA disapprove and you wont have any problems from them.
Really the tin foil hat isn't cool anymore, no one likes being spied on, but to expect that the everyday normal joe is being spied on is just being paranoid.
For Poisoner: use True Crypt.
I thought pushing people out of WinXP was a good strategy 4 years ago when Microsoft looked stronger and there was no alternative. But today, I think they could be accelerating the inevitable.
Its as if Sony decided to make the PS2 obsolete in hopes that the user-base will move to the PS3... it could work, but it could also backfire.
The more people using a modern, secure OS, the better our world will be.
I don't do anything illegal. In fact I run Win7 on this laptop. Its the tower that keeps Windows XP.
hope this adds to them
Time to go to a new slow Bloatware OS. and you have to upgrade your computer hardware so it can run this new bloatware at a slower speed.
Yea time to Downgrade to windows 7
XP with Service Pack 3 - still supported? aka DO WINDOWS UPDATES and you wont have any issues for now? durrr
Regardless of your position on XP vs Vista (giggles) vs 7, everyone can agree that XP is and always will be one of (if not the) best OS MS will ever produce. Someone should burn a boxed copy of XP on that day and scatter the ashes over the ocean to give it a proper sendoff.