Windows XP won’t be officially supported for much longer. Sure, you could keep using it — it won’t just stop working one day. It will just become more insecure over time as Microsoft and everyone else stops supporting it.
Let’s face it, Windows XP has had a good run. It has been officially supported for more than a decade. If you’re still using Windows XP, you should be making plans to upgrade to something that will be supported.
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The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor can also help you choose the edition of Windows Vista that best fits the way you want to use your computer. Windows XP/Vista, Microsoft XML 6.0 Parser. Upgrading to Vista from Windows XP is a one-way street. You can’t return to Windows XP once you’ve installed Vista. Don’t upgrade unless you’re sure you’re ready for Vista. Make sure your computer is ready for Vista. New computers today come with Windows Vista preinstalled — it’s practically unavoidable. But, if you have an older computer, it’s time to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows Vista. If it’s running Windows 98 or Windows Me, don’t bother trying: Vista requires a powerful PC with cutting-edge.
Why You Should Care
We’ve already explained why it’s time to let go of Windows XP and what will happen when Microsoft finally stops supporting it on April 8, 2014.
In a nutshell, Windows XP is old. It doesn’t support modern hardware properly and it isn’t as secure as modern versions of Windows because it doesn’t have User Account Control and other modern security features. (Forget what you may have heard about UAC in the Windows Vista days — it’s better now.)
As time goes on, Windows XP will become increasingly insecure and both hardware and software vendors will stop supporting it. Try using modern hardware or software on Windows 98, Windows Me, or even Windows 2000 — even Firefox no longer supports Windows 2000. Windows XP is next in line for the chopping block.
Where You Can Go From Here
Perhaps you’ve heard about how awkward Windows 8 can be on traditional computers — If you’re using Windows XP, we’re assuming you’re not using one of Microsoft’s Windows XP tablets. Or perhaps you’re perfectly happy with your existing software and just use your computer for very basic things, so you don’t see the point in paying Microsoft an upgrade fee.
Here are your options:
Windows 7: If you’re still using Windows XP, there’s a good chance you won’t want to go through the shock of upgrading to Windows 8. Windows 7 isn’t the latest, but it’s the most widely used version of Windows and will be supported until January 14, 2020. Even today, many businesses are upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7 — not Windows 8.
If you’re a typical home user, getting Windows 7 may take a bit of extra footwork. New computers come with Windows 8, and your local PC store probably doesn’t sell Windows 7. If you want to get a boxed copy of Windows 7 to upgrade to, you may want to get it online — boxed copies of Windows 7 are still sold on websites like Amazon, although you probably won’t find them in many PC stores.
Windows 8: Windows 8 can be rather awkward on traditional PCs without touch screens, especially at first. That said, it’s not completely unbearable. It actually offers many desktop features that are an upgrade over Windows 7 and you can hide much of the new “Modern” environment. Windows 8.1 is also on the way, ready for official release on October 17, 2013, and it’s much more comfortable to use on a more traditional desktop or laptop PC.
Windows 8 has the advantage of being easier to find. You can go into any computer shop and buy a boxed copy of Windows 8 or a new computer with Windows 8. Microsoft even sells Windows 8 in downloadable form.
Desktop Linux: Unlike Windows 7 or 8, desktop Linux distributions like Ubuntu are completely free. If you only use your computer for web browsing and other basic tasks, desktop Linux is a good option to seriously consider. In addition to being secure, modern, and free, it’s immune to Windows malware. It’s even possible to install older versions of Microsoft Office on Linux.
If you have an older computer, you may want to try the more lightweight Xubuntu or the extremely lightweight Lubuntu instead of the heavier standard Ubuntu system. If you’re going with Ubuntu, you’ll probably want to stick with the long term service (LTS) release, which is supported for five years with security updates. We’ve previously covered how to switch from Windows XP to a more secure Linux system.
iPads, Macs, Chromebooks, and More: Okay, so the above options aren’t the only ones. You could go buy an iPad (or an Android tablet) and a keyboard for it, a Chromebook, or even a new Mac computer if you want to pick a laptop up at the store but just aren’t sold on Windows 8. These are all valid upgrade paths, but they require purchasing new hardware and replacing your existing computer.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to perform an upgrade install from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8. You’ll have to perform a clean install. Luckily, clean installs are the ideal way to install a new operating system.
But I Have Windows XP Applications!
You may still have important Windows XP applications. If your entire business is going to grind to a halt because you can’t run an old application on Windows XP, you can still upgrade your computer to a more modern operating system.
This is why Windows 7 — the Professional version, at least — contains Windows XP mode, which allows you to run applications in a special Windows XP system. Essentially, your computer will run an isolated copy of Windows XP where your Windows XP applications can run.
Windows XP mode isn’t included with Windows 8, but you can set up something just like Windows XP mode with VMware Player on Windows 8. You can even use VMware Player — or another virtual machine tool, such as VirtualBox — to run Windows XP and your Windows XP applications on other operating systems, such as the Home version of Windows 7 or desktop Linux.
What have you upgraded to from Windows XP, or what do you plan on upgrading to? Do you plan on taking the risk by continuing to use Windows XP anyway?
Image Credit: PoloGoomba on Flickr
READ NEXT
This downloadable version of Windows Vista is an upgrade only. Users can upgrade to Windows Vista Ultimate from Windows XP Pro, Windows XP Home, Windows XP Media Center, or Windows XP Tablet PC.
The good: Windows Vista Ultimate does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; Windows Vista offers better built-in support options. Read the entire review.The bad: Windows Vista Ultimate does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); there's simply too much and not all of it is implemented properly; no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista. The bottom line: Windows Vista is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use. Reviewed by: Robert Vamosi; Reviewed on: 1/23/07; Release date: 1/30/07 What do you need to know about free software?
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Free Upgrade Xp To Vista
The good: Windows Vista Ultimate does improve some features within Windows XP; fewer system crashes than Windows XP; Windows Vista offers better built-in support options. Read the entire review.
The bad: Windows Vista Ultimate does not put Search on the desktop (it's buried within applications, within the Start Menu); optimized only for the Microsoft Windows ecosystem (for example, RSS feeds from Internet Explorer 7 get preferential treatment); there's simply too much and not all of it is implemented properly; no new software yet written exclusively for Windows Vista; and there are too many editions of Windows Vista. The bottom line: Windows Vista is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use. Reviewed by: Robert Vamosi; Reviewed on: 1/23/07; Release date: 1/30/07 Windows Xp Professional Vista UpgradeComments are closed.
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