Windows XP What constitutes support?

James Quillian · Post by **James Quillian** » 17 Oct 2014 7:11 pm

I have continued using XP on a desktop that I use for recording. Nothing has changed as far as I can tell. The internet even works.

What would happen if I tried to install XP on another machine?

What actually constitues support? I would like to continue using XP on a limited use machine since XP has been problem free for this purpose.

This old machine is about to give up the ghost.

Larry Carlson · Post by **Larry Carlson** » 17 Oct 2014 7:38 pm

Microsoft no longer supports XP.

I am using Vista and I don't think I will be getting any fixes and/or updates for that much longer either.

After an OS is dropped for support you receive no more security updates or technical support.

This page explains it and has info about installing it etc:
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ ... pport.aspx

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 18 Oct 2014 6:11 am

"No support" means if you call MS to ask a technical question about Windows XP, nobody answers the phone. It also means the security vulnerabilites in your 13-year old OS leave you wide open, since MS isn't releasing code to address new threats, which get more sophisticated all the time. A further drawback to stretching the useful life of legacy software is lack of driver support, meaning, when you want to upgrade to newer recording equipment, chances are, you won't be able to.

Current software leads to more gracious living.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 18 Oct 2014 6:11 am

If you are able to obtain, or already possess an unused license for Windows XP, you can still install it onto a new computer. This assumes that the hardware supports XP. New hardware may not do so.

You will be required to activate your product key online, just like before support ended. I cannot guess what will happen if online activation cannot proceed (e.g.: due to a missing network driver). You would then normally phone Microsoft activation support to activate over the phone. That constitutes "support" which no longer exists for XP. They may or may not offer free phone based activations now.

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 5 Dec 2014 5:08 am

Wiz, if two machines were similar (compatible?), what would prevent you from cloning the hard drive, and running two computers from only one licensed copy of XP?

Jack Stoner · Post by **Jack Stoner** » 5 Dec 2014 6:03 am

Each system (motherboard) has an unique ID. The second system would run for 30 days and then stop since it could not (legally) be activated.

I've had the activation requirement happen and even had a hard time getting a legitimate OS activated by Microsoft on a warranty motherboard replacement, with an exact same model. Microsoft was questioning that it (XP in this case) was being installed on a second PC and not a replacement.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 5 Dec 2014 7:54 am

I keep running XP as I'm not sure some of my software would be supported on a later operating system. So far, no trouble.

Dave Potter · Post by **Dave Potter** » 5 Dec 2014 3:46 pm

Erv Niehaus wrote:I keep running XP as I'm not sure some of my software would be supported on a later operating system. So far, no trouble.

There aren't any guarantees, but there's always "compatibility mode" for those situations. But the inescapable fact is that, with very few exceptions, each new version of Windows brings with it so many new capabilities, features, and refinements that it just makes sense for most of us to upgrade.

Admittedly, more recent Windows versions usually require more recent hardware as well, but that's hardly a "bad thing" - the new hardware does a lot more. You may not need any of that. If so, enjoy XP.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 5 Dec 2014 8:52 pm

A Windows XP computer that runs fine and has plenty of RAM is perfectly safe, if kept offline and never has a USB drive plugged in that comes from an untrusted source, and is not part of a shared network with write privileges to the XP machine and is operated with reduced user privileges, rather than an Administrator account.

Despite what Microsoft said about discontinuing support for XP, every month they release an updated MSRT that scans for known malware and removes any it finds. Further, if your XP computer has certain versions of MS Office installed, you may still receive critical patches for those programs via Windows Update. This is my personal eXPerience on my one remaining XP computer.

Why bother? Because, like me, you may own one or two programs that simply cannot be made to run under Windows 7 or newer. I keep XP alive for those chosen few and only boot into it on Patch Tuesdays, or when I need those programs. I do keep MBAM alive on it.

Sam White R.I.P. · Post by **Sam White R.I.P.** » 9 Dec 2014 5:33 am

In have still been using Windows XP and I also have Norton Anti virus and I have had no problem as of yet. I have put two more 512 MB in the computer.I only use my Computer to go on The Steel Guitar Forum and my E-mails thats all.
Sam White