A Little Help For Windows XP Users

[Wigwam Jones]

I thought some of you might find some usefulness with this article. I didn't write it, I'm not responsible for it, and if you wreck your computer don't come crying to me, I can't fix it for you. Just sayin'...

http://www.technologytell.com/gadgets/145146/windows-xp-registry-hack-provides-extended-support/

Windows XP registry hack provides extended support
by Seth Fitzgerald on May 28, 2014 at 8:58 am
With just a few key presses and a couple seconds of your time, you can turn your Windows XP system into one that Microsoft will actually support for the next five years. While this is not recommended, it turns out that a simple registry hack can make it so that Windows Update does not notice that your system is running XP, allowing you to receive support for a longer period of time.

 

[andy]

I tried that yesterday on an XP machine that I haven't gotten around to upgrading yet. It went smoothly and got a couple of IE8 updates.

 

[jmathers]

MS response to ZDNet:

[UPDATE:] Late Monday we received a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson:

We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers. Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP. The best way for Windows XP customers to protect their systems is to upgrade to a more modern operating system, like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.

Found here: http://www.zdnet.com/registry-hack-enables-continued-updates-for-windows-xp-7000029851/

 

[mhardy6647]

I like it.
As the Bible might have put it:

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth. A hack for a hack.

 

[Lorenzo47]

MS response to ZDNet:

[UPDATE:] Late Monday we received a statement from a Microsoft spokesperson:

We recently became aware of a hack that purportedly aims to provide security updates to Windows XP customers. The security updates that could be installed are intended for Windows Embedded and Windows Server 2003 customers and do not fully protect Windows XP customers. Windows XP customers also run a significant risk of functionality issues with their machines if they install these updates, as they are not tested against Windows XP. The best way for Windows XP customers to protect their systems is to upgrade to a more modern operating system, like Windows 7 or Windows 8.1.
Found here: http://www.zdnet.com/registry-hack-enables-continued-updates-for-windows-xp-7000029851/

What would you expect MS to say? It is my understanding that corporate clients with thousands of XP machines deployed (my former emplorer is one) will continue to get updates for an unknown time.

 

[Fisherdude]

What would you expect MS to say? It is my understanding that corporate clients with thousands of XP machines deployed (my former emplorer is one) will continue to get updates for an unknown time.

I believe that MS will provide ongoing support for XP machines installed in a business environment for $200/year/machine. I don't know if this has a "drop-dead" date or not.

 

[Chris Brown]

While Windows Server 2003 and Windows POSReady 2009 are built on the same framework as XP, they aren't the same OS. Installing updates that aren't actually meant for your OS is going to be sketchy at best.

 

[jsisk]

I have a feeling XP is going to be around for a while.

It is still the most stable Microsoft operating system.

This is an interesting snippet I found: Yahoo Finance reports that nearly 95 percent of the world’s ATMs run on XP, but it argues that proper safeguards are already in place despite the outdated software.

 

[Lorenzo47]

I believe that MS will provide ongoing support for XP machines installed in a business environment for $200/year/machine. I don't know if this has a "drop-dead" date or not.

I had not heard of the $200 per machine per year part of that. I do know that the company of which I speak ran Windows 2000 years into the release of XP. I doubt that they were atypical.

 

[Chris Brown]

It is still the most stable Microsoft operating system.

This simply isn't true.

This is an interesting snippet I found: Yahoo Finance reports that nearly 95 percent of the world’s ATMs run on XP, but it argues that proper safeguards are already in place despite the outdated software.

Embedded versions of windows such as Windows POSReady 2009 share many similarities with XP but they aren't the same OS. They never had their support dropped either.

 

[Fisherdude]

...

It is still the most stable Microsoft operating system.

...

Not correct.

Win7 is orders of magnitude better, and 8.1, even if you loathe the UI as much as I do, is even better than 7.

 

[grateful]

Correct windows 7 and 8 are every bit as stable as XP perhaps more so.

 

[Brian]

MS really wants to make it uncomfortable for XP users. Now every time I start the computer, I get this notice that is no longer supported and a link to MS and after I close it, I get another related to MS Essentials.

 

[Rome]

MS really wants to make it uncomfortable for XP users. Now every time I start the computer, I get this notice that is no longer supported and a link to MS and after I close it, I get another related to MS Essentials.

+1!

I am still using MSE even with the red X being displayed. Not ready to upgrade to another OS right now I am happy with going about my tasks until I decide to do so.

There are updates for MSE until 2015 I think, so that is enough time for me to make a decision. Also, my surfing habits are controlled to sites I know, trying to limit my exposure to any infections and/or threats!

Until I upgrade, I will keep this Dell 4500 with XP as my primary internet system.

Rome

 

[Brian]

+1!

I am still using MSE even with the red X being displayed. Not ready to upgrade to another OS right now I am happy with going about my tasks until I decide to do so.

There are updates for MSE until 2015 I think, so that is enough time for me to make a decision. Also, my surfing habits are controlled to sites I know, trying to limit my exposure to any infections and/or threats!

Until I upgrade, I will keep this Dell 4500 with XP as my primary internet system.

Rome

I have only a limited number of sites I visit and virtually no one who I correspond with who attaches files to download. I am using my Playbook more and more for web and emails and due to its popularity, or lack thereof, and security am not too concerned.

 

[Beatnik]

Why would anyone pay 200/yr for further xp support when they can buy 7 for half that and be set for years ?

 

[atarione]

microsoft may well either:

a. break this reg hack

b. break computers using it..accidentally? or otherwise?


either way if you use this and your XP machine borks itself you aren't going to have much recourse.


Windows 7 or 8 are simply better operating systems (windows 8 actually has a fair number of improvements under the hood) windows 8 have the more contentious and jarring user interface.

 

[Brian]

Why would anyone pay 200/yr for further xp support when they can buy 7 for half that and be set for years ?

At the corporate level a corporate wide changeover is expensive, time consuming, may require custom programs to be rewritten or even require off the shelfware to be replaced. The logistics and testing are most optimistically a king sized headache.

Admittedly, for an individual less of an issue but may still require significant investments in software updates or even programs that will require replacement as there are no updates.

I have old tax programs still needed that will not run on my Win7 machine nor will Lotus Organizer. WordPerfect Suite can be iffy as well as a number of other programs and the cost to update or change programs no longer warrants the cost in my case. I am more a candidate for a Liinux conversion than say a ground up Win7 upgrade but it begs the problem whereby I would still need a XP system; not sure if my tax software will run under WINE and Organizer will not run fully last time I tried.

 

[Brian]

microsoft may well either:

a. break this reg hack

b. break computers using it..accidentally? or otherwise?


either way if you use this and your XP machine borks itself you aren't going to have much recourse.


Windows 7 or 8 are simply better operating systems (windows 8 actually has a fair number of improvements under the hood) windows 8 have the more contentious and jarring user interface.

I agree MS will do something nasty to stop it at their end. Not as positive Win7 and 8 is better than XP, only newer. I have have found 7 to be very good but not better, just different but, then again, I did not find XP better than 2000 operationally except for the change in driver install.

 

[mhardy6647]

Validated systems running under XP (e.g., under US 21 CFR Part 11) will take a very substantial effort to move to another platform/OS -- and I can guarantee that there are (still) many such systems; some of 'em probably being used to make drugs we all take every day ;-)