Need Opinions: Using Windows XP in 2013/2014

  • Thread starter Thread starter G.T.Ace
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G.T.Ace

G.T.Ace

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GTAce
Hey guys, hope you can help me out.
Some people I know asked me about reanimating an old laptop for 'em.
The hardware is all right, but I'd have to re-install Windows on it and it's too old for 7 or 8.
Do you think re-installing XP would be a good move, or do they need an entirely new computer?

I know that Microsoft will stop supporting it next year and Linux isn't an option unfortunately,
so I'm not 100% sure what to do. They don't really need a new one for the stuff they want to do, but I also don't want to recommend them something which causes security issues.
 
Just because MS is stopping support in the spring it doesn't mean that XP is suddenly going to become this huge security risk. Install the OS, keep the patches up to date until the end of support, keep the web browser up to date, it will be just fine for general use.
 
Windows XP is the most stable system out of all the windows system as long you have the speed and no bugs. XP in known for bugs and viruses. Keep it clean and you be fine.
 
Thanks for the opinions so far.
White & Nerdy
I'm still using it.

Every Windows since has appeared more annoying than the last.
Click to expand...
I like Win 7 more than XP. It "talks" more to the user and you have more insight into the system.
I've just recently switched and am very satisfied.
kikie
I'm still using XP and no issues so far, I think.
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The support will be stopped in April 2014 if I remember correctly, so there shouldn't be issues yet.
 
Yes, but I have been told that there aren't going to be any problems when there is no support anymore. Maybe in due time, when programmes stop working with XP, then and only then it's time to switch to windows 9 or 10 or whatever is out in a few years.
 
Windows 98 was one of the most stable Windows releases ever, a huge step up over 95 and the 3.xx releases and worlds better than the buggy cluster:censored: that was Millenium. XP is a resource hog by comparison... but then, that's true of almost any next-generation OS that comes along. A lot of people hung on to 98 for server use, and I would have kept using it for work if printer and device drivers weren't an issue.

XP is fine by me, if you stick with SP2, but I've had device driver issues with XP in the past, and I'm not particularly keen on going back to that system.
 
cjmpe
Just because MS is stopping support in the spring it doesn't mean that XP is suddenly going to become this huge security risk. Install the OS, keep the patches up to date until the end of support, keep the web browser up to date, it will be just fine for general use.
Click to expand...

I have to disagree.

http://www.paritynews.com/2013/08/16/2358/hackers-stockpiling-windows-xp-zero-days-as-eol-nears/

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241585/XP_s_retirement_will_be_hacker_heaven

http://wind8apps.com/windows-xp-hackers-zero-day-vulnerabilities/

Just a few

https://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=are+hackers+waiting+for+eol+xp

I work for a POS (Point of Sale Company) and a big thing with the EOL for XP is how much computers that take credit cards are still on XP.

Granted the average user isn't processing credit cards on their laptop, but if they are on the internet they are still going to be left wide open to whatever exploits are found that MS doesn't patch before April 14th.

In the OP's question I would let them use XP, but make them aware of the End of Life and they could run into issues.

I'd recommend they use it for now, but have them at least consider an investment in a new computer sometime next year.
 
I don't/won't run Windows XP on anything anymore.

What kind of hardware are we talking about here? I've run Windows 7 Ultimate on a single core netbook before, didn't run too bad once you disabled some features and did some general optimizing on it.
 
acascianelli
I don't/won't run Windows XP on anything anymore.

What kind of hardware are we talking about here? I've run Windows 7 Ultimate on a single core netbook before, didn't run too bad once you disabled some features and did some general optimizing on it.
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I think it's probably more of a driver issue for some older hardware.

Had a site where customer's old computer(Windows 2000) was being swapped out for a Win7 box. He had an HP printer, forget the model number. He asked if we could still use it on the new computer. I felt pretty confident that it would work.


WRONG.

Had 2k,XP,XPx64,Vista,Windows8 drivers no windows 7 drivers.

Some chips just wont' have drivers for certain things. Usually there are work-around for some, but you won't know for certain until you tried to run win7/8 on an XP laptop.
 
Windows 2000 is where its at, proper corporate reliability there and its what's Windows XP was built on.

My favourite Windows was NT though.

I would recommend moving from XP to 7, if you can. It's a much better experience overall without 'frilly' stuff.
 
@Robin.'s right. The performance that you obtain in 7 is a lot better for more modern machines than you would get from XP. Heck, I recently upgraded my HDD and OS(I was running vista) and I saw better improvement on a PC that I had on a years old PC than what it was running.

If anything, the EOL on XP really should signal to all of us that XP is going to get unsecure real quick once that date passes, so upgrade when you can.
 
niky
Windows 98 was one of the most stable Windows releases ever, a huge step up over 95 and the 3.xx releases and worlds better than the buggy cluster:censored: that was Millenium. XP is a resource hog by comparison... but then, that's true of almost any next-generation OS that comes along. A lot of people hung on to 98 for server use, and I would have kept using it for work if printer and device drivers weren't an issue.

XP is fine by me, if you stick with SP2, but I've had device driver issues with XP in the past, and I'm not particularly keen on going back to that system.
Click to expand...

I never had any issues with Win ME.

But then again it did have alot of new things and then MS decided we will not support it anymore.

I hate XP.
If you are copying alot of files, if it runs into a issue(file in use, do not have permission, system file, ect) the copy stops.
What kind of idiot at microsoft thought that was a good idea, even when vista came out with the skip file, they didn't bother adding that feature in

Speaking of vista.

I never had any issues with it.
From what i have seen most issues came from the OEM PCs where they used bad hardware.
Heck in the car world, if you use crap parts or fuel you are going to have issues.

All i did to make vista fast was disable some services.

And niky, XP's latest service pack is SP3
 
Infinital-NG
I have to disagree.

http://www.paritynews.com/2013/08/16/2358/hackers-stockpiling-windows-xp-zero-days-as-eol-nears/

http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9241585/XP_s_retirement_will_be_hacker_heaven

http://wind8apps.com/windows-xp-hackers-zero-day-vulnerabilities/

Just a few

https://www.google.com/search?btnG=1&pws=0&q=are hackers waiting for eol xp

I work for a POS (Point of Sale Company) and a big thing with the EOL for XP is how much computers that take credit cards are still on XP.

Granted the average user isn't processing credit cards on their laptop, but if they are on the internet they are still going to be left wide open to whatever exploits are found that MS doesn't patch before April 14th.

In the OP's question I would let them use XP, but make them aware of the End of Life and they could run into issues.

I'd recommend they use it for now, but have them at least consider an investment in a new computer sometime next year.
Click to expand...
Thanks, so it's more or less like I thought.
I already told them they should invest in something new, but I'll remind the again, just in case.
And yeah, it's a driver issue, especially because of it being a notebook.
 
The only option is Windows 8.

Finding a new copy of Windows 7 will be hard and expensive.
 
What is the difference between mainstream and extended support?

I could google it but I have a feeling that I'm not going to find a satisfying answer.
 
I would reckon the difference is that mainstream means support by both the OS maker and third party software publishers whereas extended support is just third party software support.
 
Tried to post at work but for some reason my nexus 5 would not past or do anything on this site.

What is the difference between mainstream support and extended support?
  • Mainstream support—Microsoft will offer mainstream support for a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the successor product is released, whichever is longer. For example, if you buy a new version of Windows and five years later another version is released, you will still have two years of support left for the previous version.

  • Extended support—Microsoft will offer extended support for either a minimum of 5 years from the date of a product's general availability, or for 2 years after the second successor product (two versions later) is released, whichever is longer.
For more details on the difference between mainstream support and extended support, refer to the Microsoft Support Lifecycle Policy FAQ.
 

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