Who still uses Windows XP ?

[rustic]

I still use a computer with XP, in addition to this ipad, however Microsoft have now stopped supporting it.:doh:doh

Late last year in an attempt to improve system speed, I dumped McAfee in favour of Microsoft essentials.
However this will no longer be supported for XP... :doh:doh

So what is the best (cheapest) virus protection to use, and anti malware protection.

I do not want to replace the PC, as all it really does now is, reads my emails that I want to print etc as my ipad isn't linked to any of my printers.
I also use it for word, excel, power point etc and I need to email these to and from ...

I have an Acer net book, with windows starter, which to be fair is also so slow... I have again removed McAfee from that too, and rely on Microsoft essentials.
Word has become so slow, I can chisel the words in stone quicker...:lol

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Rustc

[briggie]

avg free isn't bad

[macabethiel]

I gave up on XP about a year ago I have found Windows 7 very good with no issues and you get MS security essentials.

[cncfabs]

I still use a computer with XP, in addition to this ipad, however Microsoft have now stopped supporting it.:doh:doh

Late last year in an attempt to improve system speed, I dumped McAfee in favour of Microsoft essentials.
However this will no longer be supported for XP... :doh:doh

So what is the best (cheapest) virus protection to use, and anti malware protection.

I do not want to replace the PC, as all it really does now is, reads my emails that I want to print etc as my ipad isn't linked to any of my printers.
I also use it for word, excel, power point etc and I need to email these to and from ...

I have an Acer net book, with windows starter, which to be fair is also so slow... I have again removed McAfee from that too, and rely on Microsoft essentials.
Word has become so slow, I can chisel the words in stone quicker...:lol

Any advice greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Rustc

I bought new computer with windows 8.1 on it .Used it for a week then returned it as couldnt get on with it not sure what microsoft are up to but they will be loosing all there customers it they dont produce something that ordinary people can use

[Ogri]

Updates for Microsoft security essentials will continue for XP machines but there will be no more updates for the core XP operating system meaning that there is (in my opinion), a very small potential for a nasty man to exploit an XP machine.

We run XP at work and updating is on my to do list, but I am in no rush.

If you have had no problems in the past there is no real reason to think that you will have problems in the near future.

Just my 2p.

Ian

[briggie]

I bought new computer with windows 8.1 on it .Used it for a week then returned it as couldnt get on with it not sure what microsoft are up to but they will be loosing all there customers it they dont produce something that ordinary people can use

yh , this has windows 8.1 , im slowly getting used to it :rolleyes:

[macabethiel]

I had windows 8 as an optional system on my new laptop - I stuck with Win 7.

I thought Microsoft had pulled the plug on Win 8 ?

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

run avast on tabs, phones and windows machines.

got an xp tower, waiting to see how it goes.

already ordered a s/h w7 for a pal's vista lappy cos he
wants office2013 on it. depending how that goes might get
w7 for tower, will match the w7 laps.

[Blocky10]

My old Dell laptop is xp and I have AVG for virus protection and use the Windows firewall. Had been ok but I prefer to use my daughter's Windows 8 laptop. Pity she doesn't! :D

[jims-terrano]

XP was and is a great OS but alas there's nothing we can do about it being retired. More and more software companies will now drop XP. All XP machines will continue to work as before but they will become more and more vulnerable as time goes by. windows 7 is also great and currently is the best supported windows operating system. Windows 8 is pants, they've tried to make it more user friendly by giving it an aledged start button but it isn't. Also been told today that yet another large significant update is due out shortly to again attempt to win the hearts of users. So currently windows 8 and 8.1 is a poor OS IMHO.

[dave123]

I use Norton 360 . it has never done me wrong . I used it on xp and windows 7 . the problem with the free one's is they don't cover everything unless you pay for the upgrade . my father in law used avg the free one till his computer got a virus . so I loaded up Norton and he found loads of spyware /2 viruses and loads of Trojans. he now uses Norton . shop around you can get it cheap

[Banshee]

I'm an I.T Technician by trade and I think XP is a solid operating system, it has it's niggles but what doesn't!!!!

Not sure if any of you caught this but the Government seem to think the same;
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/microsoft/10741243/Government-pays-Microsoft-5.5m-to-extend-Windows-XP-support.html

We are running a project at work at the moment to try and phase out as many XP machines as we can but we have so much in house software that is XP dependent that we are struggling!!!!

Not really a big deal when you're at home but in a corporate environment when you are governed by so many laws and have a duty of care to keep people and data safe, it's a legal battlefield

[clivvy]

well, we phased out XP years ago with most of our clients at work. We have the odd computer that runs it, and the future isn't bright for the OS.

nothing much wrong with it, I even like it but its just time for it to be phased out now, which is fair enough. I suspect Microsoft next instalment "Windows 9" will re introduce the proper start bar and possibly even remove the Metro screen and apps, Microsoft do usually listen, so hopefully things will improve.

As for now, remove Essentials because virus defs WONT keep updating on the machine - they will only support it until 2015 and until then you will continue to receive warnings. Best to move on now to keep the machine protected, use Avast, AVG or whatever and get a decent software firewall too just in case - XP isn't up to the job any more in that respect.

[bry]

MS essentials is poor.I prefer a paid for antivirus checker.Malwarebytes is free and good.Spybot also free,with some good tools.
I wonder how many know of Microsoft spying on users."Index.dat"

[larson]

windows 7 for me. i run avast free

[kwondo]

I HATE windows 8. enough said by me

[supergnome]

I dislike XP and adding different "security products " is no more than a strong perfume in a sewage works. If you must stick with the MS brand the W7 is the best route to go but it will cost.
At no cost you could download a free linux operating system such as Ubuntu orr Linux Mint. An option to at least explore. I have used it for over 10 yrs and it now easier than ever to install and run.
Have a go, David

[rustic]

Thanks for all the advice, I will look into it.:thumb2

When I did some research on the internet, it seems that odd numberered windows applications and versions, are much superior to the even numbered ones.
:doh

[Thomas-the-Terrano2]

like idea of trying another os, away from ms, suppose could play with one on old tower.

is it viable to have say linux based as dual boot?

[bry]

Yeah you can dual boot with Linux/Ubunti etc.

[clivvy]

Linux is absolutely fine to be honest, most things work as you would expect - Internet, email etc well worth trying ad its very easy to install/configure.

[supergnome]

You can try it without changing anything on your pc or laptop by downloading from the link and burn to a disc. Change the bootup order to cd,insert the disc and it will run in memory installing nothing to your pc. At the options choose TRY,enter and when installed enjoy. To use the internet you will need your password for your router if you're wireless.
When done follow the instructions to close and remove the disc. Nothing has been added to your pc and nothing removed.

This is the easiest version of linux to start with, there are 100's more. You may be using a verrsion called android.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

If you run from disc it may seem slow as it has to fetch data from the disc each time. When installed it is fast. Look it up on google, youtube etc. Any questions just ask. David.

[clivvy]

You can try it without changing anything on your pc or laptop by downloading from the link and burn to a disc. Change the bootup order to cd,insert the disc and it will run in memory installing nothing to your pc. At the options choose TRY,enter and when installed enjoy. To use the internet you will need your password for your router if you're wireless.
When done follow the instructions to close and remove the disc. Nothing has been added to your pc and nothing removed.

This is the easiest version of linux to start with, there are 100's more. You may be using a verrsion called android.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop

If you run from disc it may seem slow as it has to fetch data from the disc each time. When installed it is fast. Look it up on google, youtube etc. Any questions just ask. David.



I second this - have used it at work for some of our Linux machines and it works a treat - can even RDP from Linux into Windows and it works well. Very fast once installed, most things are sorted for you automatically such as networking, wireless, display etc (unlike in the old days of Linux). You juts have to remember that it isn't windows, and things are done differently, but essentially the basics are the same.

In fact....now we have started this conversation, I might go back to Linux myself and see how things have changed in the last year....:thumbs

[trophymick]

Linux Mint is a good starter for Linux virgins.:eek:

And Zorin is very intuitive and windows like.:thumb2

http://zorin-os.com/


ETA: Go for the free version of Zorin.

[supergnome]

Forgot to add if your pc is oldish use the 32bit desktop version.

[clivvy]

Linux Mint is a good starter for Linux virgins.:eek:

And Zorin is very intuitive and windows like.:thumb2

http://zorin-os.com/


ETA: Go for the free version of Zorin.

:thumbs

well worth trying this one - ive used it a few times before and totally forgot about it, very good bit of software.

[darryl]

could i set up a partition on the hard drive and install there or would i need another hard drive:nenau
if im not going to run it from cd as said you could earlier

[clivvy]

could i set up a partition on the hard drive and install there or would i need another hard drive:nenau
if im not going to run it from cd as said you could earlier

yes, though you need to be very careful, here is a good guide:

http://lifehacker.com/5403100/dual-boot-windows-7-and-ubuntu-in-perfect-harmony

[The Patrolman]

We have 8 windows in our house and they all work really well, apart from the one in the loft...:nenau
They are Brown if it makes any difference:doh