What will happen to XP next year?

stevek93

Hi all,

Microsoft are saying they are stopping support for XP of April next year. Wondering what does this mean for business school and colleges. Will they continue to use the operating system even though it will become unsecure? Were I work and my college nearly everything is XP?

Torqay

stevek93 wrote: »

Will they continue to use the operating system

I hear, people are still using Windows 98 although support ended 7 years ago. Do the maths.

frankmul

Some places are moving to windows 7 , it must have proved to be stable enough

Antar Bolaeisk

frankmul wrote: »

Some places are moving to windows 7 , it must have proved to be stable enough

And in ten years time we'll be having the same problem with Windows 7 and there'll still be a heap of people using Windows XP/Server 2003 and wondering why their crappy old computers are so slow and can't run the latest software instantly.

paulheu

If companies or institutions wait for XP support to end, while it has been announced YEARS ago it will and when, it's entirely their own problem if they run into issues..

Windows 7, being available for well over three years now, has proven itself as a much better and extremely stable OS when compared to XP so ppl should have switched long ago. Windows 8 is even better but as it's quite new people may want to go with Windows7 which will be supported until 2015 (mainstream) and 2020 (extended)

stevek93

paulheu wrote: »

If companies or institutions wait for XP support to end, while it has been announced YEARS ago it will and when, it's entirely their own problem if they run into issues..

Windows 7, being available for well over three years now, has proven itself as a much better and extremely stable OS when compared to XP so ppl should have switched long ago. Windows 8 is even better but as it's quite new people may want to go with Windows7 which will be supported until 2015 (mainstream) and 2020 (extended)

Its not just businesses that are going to suffer have you ever seen a ATM booting up? Typically it is some version of XP or OS from Microsoft from that era what will happen next year when Microsoft desicde to stop releasing security update bug fixes and patches for these machines or severs. Who will be at fault when your data is stored on a unsecured operating system. Yes I agree 7 is a amazing OS that is very stable indeed but it fails to run on older hardware. Where I work we are head of I.T and most of the offices are still using PCs with Windows 2000s labels running XP and do the job fine no way in hell are these going to run 7 I see it as a unnecessary upgrade as most of these PCs are used to perform simple tasks inputting data likes of Excel and Database.

Saganist

stevek93 wrote: »

Who will be at fault when your data is stored on a unsecured operating system.

You will. :rolleyes:

stevek93

Saganist wrote: »

You will. :rolleyes:

We dont control the software we are just to manage it.

DesperateDan

I thought they stopped supporting it last year? Certainly I remember going to some help pages and them warning me lots of times that it was archived information and not officially maintained or supported anymore

yoyo

stevek93 wrote: »

Its not just businesses that are going to suffer have you ever seen a ATM booting up? Typically it is some version of XP or OS from Microsoft from that era what will happen next year when Microsoft desicde to stop releasing security update bug fixes and patches for these machines or severs. Who will be at fault when your data is stored on a unsecured operating system. Yes I agree 7 is a amazing OS that is very stable indeed but it fails to run on older hardware. Where I work we are head of I.T and most of the offices are still using PCs with Windows 2000s labels running XP and do the job fine no way in hell are these going to run 7 I see it as a unnecessary upgrade as most of these PCs are used to perform simple tasks inputting data likes of Excel and Database.

Many ATMs are still using OS/2 worldwide! Making XP seem fresh and modern in comparison :pac:

Nick

stevek93

yoyo wrote: »

Many ATMs are still using OS/2 worldwide! Making XP seem fresh and modern in comparison :pac:

Nick

lol. They must have there own security if thats the case? Was wondering if the big security firms likes of McAfee and Symantec will be releasing there own security updates and patches when MS cloeses it update site.

desaparecidos

How many patches are released for xp these days? Surely all major flaws are fixed at this stage.

stevek93

desaparecidos wrote: »

How many patches are released for xp these days? Surely all major flaws are fixed at this stage.

Its stable as it going to get imo correct me if my wrong but as new threats come out people are going to find hole in the OS unfortunately these won't be fixed maybe if you have a good AV you should be safe.

Gadgetman496

There's years left in XP yet, if it's doing what you need it to do and you're happy with it, carry on until you have no choice. The majority of PC users aren't like the "Fruit people" They don't pander to the powers that be who try to market OS's in such a way as to make you believe you actually need it let alone have to have the latest

You can always use something free like "WSUS Offline Update" to create an offline backup of all current XP Updates and use it to increment any future XP updates for as long as they continue to be available. You will then have all the available updates offline in the event you need to do a clean install even if MS stop making them available.

You might even get away with it untill everything is deployed to the Cloud

Torqay

DesperateDan wrote: »

I thought they stopped supporting it last year? Certainly I remember going to some help pages and them warning me lots of times that it was archived information and not officially maintained or supported anymore

Maybe it's time for you to apply Service Pack 3?

Support for Windows XP SP2 has indeed come to an end a few years ago, but all XP editions are supported until April 2014, provided SP3 is installed. For every rule, there is an exception: Windows Embedded Standard (PoS, kiosk, etc) will be supported until 2019.

yoyo

stevek93 wrote: »

lol. They must have there own security if thats the case?

You would have to wonder though wouldn't you! Even more shocking it is not unknown for ATMs/TVMs to also still be using Windows NT4, you wouldn't exactly trust these OSes for Internet browsing these days now would you :pac:

Nick

paulheu

stevek93 wrote: »

Who will be at fault when your data is stored on a unsecured operating system. Yes I agree 7 is a amazing OS that is very stable indeed but it fails to run on older hardware.

You will be at fault as Microsoft has given ample and very advanced notice of when support for this OS will end. If you choose to ignore it and go 'oops' when you get your *ss burnt you only have yourself to blame.

Windows 7 runs just fine on anything Pentium4 or better, maybe not as snappy, but it runs fine. Manufacturers/developers of the applications you talk about have had well over three years now to migrate, they have known for longer when XP support will end. So yes, you only have yourself to blame..

stevek93

paulheu wrote: »

You will be at fault as Microsoft has given ample and very advanced notice of when support for this OS will end. If you choose to ignore it and go 'oops' when you get your *ss burnt you only have yourself to blame.

Windows 7 runs just fine on anything Pentium4 or better, maybe not as snappy, but it runs fine. Manufacturers/developers of the applications you talk about have had well over three years now to migrate, they have known for longer when XP support will end. So yes, you only have yourself to blame..

As I said above we do not control the software we only manage it. It is out of our control which piece of software is deployed on a certain machine.

GreenWolfe

While we're at it, don't forget Windows 2000 in the Royal Navy -

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/02/26/windows_boxes_at_sea/

stevek93 wrote: »

As I said above we do not control the software we only manage it. It is out of our control which piece of software is deployed on a certain machine.

If there isn't a migration plan in the works, you may want to start polishing up your CV.

There's still some of the old AIB ATMs around, they're on either OS/2 or NT 4.

I think Microsoft shot themselves in the foot with XP. It was the first widely available Windows OS that for the most part "just worked." It didn't have the stability issues of the MS-DOS/9x series and while it still had compatibility issues (like NT and 2000 before it), they had implemented compatibility modes to reduce the impact. Of course, the long development time (and subsequent negative impression) of Vista certainly didn't help either. A lot of people said "XP does what I need, if it ain't broke..." and for many this is still the case.

I don't think it's the same as Windows 98 in 2006 because 98 was built on a much more fickle and unstable platform - there was a real benefit to be had by moving to XP.

Torqay

EarthlyPangaea wrote: »

While we're at it, don't forget Windows 2000 in the Royal Navy

Well, that was 6 years ago. Last year, the biggest operator of warships in the world, the U.S. Navy has announced to migrate the entire fleet to Linux systems. Apparently, Windows 7 and 8 don't really cut it anymore for the DoD. The announcement followed the discovery of a virus which had infected the Windows operating systems on the U.S. Air Force’s drone control system (didn't they loose a few of their gadgets to the Iranians?). Imagine a bot net armed with Hellfire missiles.

RodgersLFC

Its going to be very interesting. XP still has a large portion of the market share and a lot of businesses seem to be still running XP even with all the warnings currently around from Microsoft. I suspect a large number of people will continue using XP despite the lack of updates - imagine trying to persuade an elderly person who's had their computer for years and years, and only use it to check email now and again, to pay hundreds of quid for a new one? Its not going to happen.

Torqay

RodgersLFC wrote: »

imagine trying to persuade an elderly person who's had their computer for years and years, and only use it to check email now and again, to pay hundreds of quid for a new one? Its not going to happen.

And then there is "de economy", you know. Gone are the Celtic Tiger days when people bought a new computer just because the old one was infected by some virus.

A few quid for some extra RAM might squeeze another few years out of the old box. For example, a 2006 dual core computer is still sufficient for many casual users and it will be for some years to come.

RodgersLFC wrote: »

Its going to be very interesting. XP still has a large portion of the market share

It was only a few weeks ago, that Windows 7 finally overtook Windows XP, in fact, Windows XP kept gaining market share until about a year ago*. So it is safe to assume that there are still billions of XP machines out there, and they won't just vanish in 2014.

* probably due to extended downgrade rights. Speaking of which, as things stand, Microsoft's downgrade rights regarding Windows XP Professional remain valid throughout the entire life cycle of Windows 7, which will end in January 2020. The call it operating system that just won't go away for a reason.

RodgersLFC

Torqay wrote: »

And then there is "de economy", you know. Gone are the Celtic Tiger days when people bought a new computer just because the old one was infected by some virus.

A few quid for some extra RAM might squeeze another few years out of the old box. For example, a 2006 dual core computer is still sufficient for many casual users and it will be for some years to come.



It was only a few weeks ago, that Windows 7 finally overtook Windows XP, in fact, Windows XP kept gaining market share until about a year ago*. So it is safe to assume that there are still billions of XP machines out there, and they won't just vanish in 2014.

* probably due to extended downgrade rights. Speaking of which, as things stand, Microsoft's downgrade rights regarding Windows XP Professional remain valid throughout the entire life cycle of Windows 7, which will end in January 2020. The call it operating system that just won't go away for a reason.

I didnt know that last part. So Microsoft are happy to honour downgrade requests up to the end of the life cycle of 7, they just wont provide any security updates....something's wrong with that picture!

But yep, its remarkable that XP will end up having a total lifespan of 13 years, considering the advances in technology since 2001. Its a mark of the quality of the system I guess (and the service packs!)!

Antar Bolaeisk

RodgersLFC wrote: »

I didnt know that last part. So Microsoft are happy to honour downgrade requests up to the end of the life cycle of 7, they just wont provide any security updates....something's wrong with that picture!

But yep, its remarkable that XP will end up having a total lifespan of 13 years, considering the advances in technology since 2001. Its a mark of the quality of the system I guess (and the service packs!)!

That and the fact that it was around for so long before something new came out.

RodgersLFC

Antar Bolaeisk wrote: »

That and the fact that it was around for so long before something new came out.

And also when something new eventually came out, it was a resource-hogging disaster (Vista).

Squeaky the Squirrel

Torqay wrote: »

For every rule, there is an exception

Windows XP End Of Support Countdown Gadget

404 days

Freddy Smelly

stevek93 wrote: »

Its not just businesses that are going to suffer have you ever seen a ATM booting up? Typically it is some version of XP or OS from Microsoft from that era what will happen next year when Microsoft desicde to stop releasing security update bug fixes and patches for these machines or severs. Who will be at fault when your data is stored on a unsecured operating system. Yes I agree 7 is a amazing OS that is very stable indeed but it fails to run on older hardware. Where I work we are head of I.T and most of the offices are still using PCs with Windows 2000s labels running XP and do the job fine no way in hell are these going to run 7 I see it as a unnecessary upgrade as most of these PCs are used to perform simple tasks inputting data likes of Excel and Database.

those atm's you speak of have windows nt 4 not xp :eek:

Freddy Smelly

Freddy Smelly wrote: »

those atm's you speak of have windows nt 4 not xp :eek:

No, most recent ATMs are on XP Embedded.

Overheal

It will finally die the slow, agonizing death that it should have years ago. good riddance.

As for critical infrastructure still running it: the hope would be that nothing networked (or at least externally networked) is going to be running legacy software. reminds me of the dude that came on the forum last year looking how to connect his Power-plant-operating Windows 95 computer onto the internet because he was bored at work. The mind boggles.

demanufactured

Overheal wrote: »

It will finally die the slow, agonizing death that it should have years ago. good riddance.

As for critical infrastructure still running it: the hope would be that nothing networked (or at least externally networked) is going to be running legacy software. reminds me of the dude that came on the forum last year looking how to connect his Power-plant-operating Windows 95 computer onto the internet because he was bored at work. The mind boggles.

Most big businesses are still using xp and are only now migrating to windows 7
I know because the last company I worked in I was in the IT dept and even new laptops that were bought with windows 7 were formatted and xp out on..that was only last year.
Big companies will always get as long as they can out of something. Its all about the monies...volume licenses arnt cheap.