Windows XP Death Clock Doesn't Work on XP

By Marcus Yam
published

The end isn't that near at all.

The end is approaching for Windows XP… in 2014. The already decade-old operating system is still the main base for much of the world's PCs, despite Microsoft's efforts to hold those users away from Internet Explorer 9 (though the latest Firefox and Chrome work just fine) and the other latest Microsoft software.

In its latest push, Microsoft has made and published "Windows XP End of Support Countdown Gadget" – essentially a desktop gadget with a countdown clock until the classic OS is no longer supported.

Microsoft gives it the following overview: "Looking to get off Windows XP? Use this handy gadget to count down the number of days until Windows XP End of Support (EOS) in 2014."

The desktop gadget, however, is only supported by Windows Vista and Windows 7, which makes it somewhat puzzling as such users have obviously eradicated Windows XP from that particular system.

Still, it's a good daily reminder of just how many days left until Windows XP is off the map. Download it from Microsoft here.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
98 Comments Comment from the forums
  • bigman8291
    This is hilariously pointless.
    Reply
  • three0duster
    F'n Stupid is what it is. But at the same time typical M$. M$ is doing everything they can to spread the hate on XP. Ive turned off updates on my machine a long time ago. All they do is screw up my older hardware and software. Oh well, maybe a blessing in disguise.
    Reply
  • gti88
    I think I'll wait till Windows 9...
    Reply
  • Ciuy
    Why use win XP lol....it sucks hardcore.
    Reply
  • manu 11
    I will miss win xp , still windows 7 is a great os but not nearly great as xp.
    Reply
  • bv90andy
    bigman8291This is hilariously pointless.
    Reply
  • CKKwan
    I want the Classic Start Menu in Win7!

    Otherwise I would just stay with WinXP, or move to iOS!
    Reply
  • gti88
    CiuyWhy use win XP....May be because it works and cand do everything we need?
    Reply
  • mcneck
    How much money in man hours would have been spent making this desktop gadget? This is seriously depressing.... They could have used that money to actually make something that is not copying from someone else... or anything worth while......

    I hate it that when you use the open file dialogue, programming in .net, that you can't specify what kind of view you want (details, icons etc), and how you want to order it... and even if you can't do that, the fact that the OS does not remember what the user chooses is worse...

    They could have used that money fixing that, rather than something that is so utterly pointless it's not even funny, it's depressing...
    Reply
  • randomizer
    This is such a colossal waste of resources that it suits an April Fools joke. Microsoft just took too long to release the thing.

    jrabbit2win7 start menu is so much better, why would you want the xp menu is beyond me. maybe you should learn how to use the win7 start menu. learn to adapt to the advancements in technology.When I think about it, the only thing about the Win 7 start menu that is really any better is the search, which is taken from Vista. Everything else is eye candy.
    Reply