Windows XP
 

April is fast approaching and I am still an XP diehard. Once Microsoft stops supporting, what concerns should I have? Will keeping my antivirus program up to date be enough to make my computer secure? I'm not sure my system will handle Windows 7. Would appreciate some good advice.

Re: Windows XP
 

I would have more than just an Anti Virus program.

What is your system?

Try downloading Spybot and regularly update and immunize

Also download Malwarebytes AntiMalware program and routinely scan your PC.

Re: Windows XP
 

Dell XPS
Pentium (R) D CPU 2.80GHz
2.79 GHZ, 2.00 GB of RAM

Re: Windows XP
 

Will download those two programs now. Would Google Chrome be a better browser than Firefox? Thanks for your help.

Re: Windows XP
 

Ok, it looks like Win 7 may run on it, since it's a 64 bit CPU.

You'll need more ram though

Re: Windows XP
 

Browsers are like Cars...everyone has their favorite and claims theirs is better.

I personally don't know or have an opinion as to what is better, however just because MicroSoft is not supporting XP anymore does not mean they are not supporting their latest Browsers. Same goes for FF and Chrome

Re: Windows XP
 

a possible hit for you on a win7 upgrade, http://ths.gardenweb.com/forums/load...503211270.html but read all the comments. i think it's supposed to be technically possible, but not advisable. i'd follow Prax advice, those are both good progs, and maybe just limit your surfing on that machine. i tried on a very similar(maybe even the same) tower w/o adding ram, and was disappointed

Re: Windows XP
 

chrome = "open," less harddrive-hogging
firefox = more secure, more for business, giving credit card info, more hogging

Re: Windows XP
 

I may give Best Buy a call to give me an estimate on installing more ram and win 7. Any thoughts on Google Chrome vs Mozilla Firefox?

Re: Windows XP
 

i really like chrome. used to keep them both on my xp machine, but i noticed that they conflicted. but i only gave CC info via Tor, so i ditched FF--which many swear by, so i think it's pick one or the other, imo.

Re: Windows XP
 

Sorry, must have been typing while you both were answering...thanks for the info!

Re: Windows XP
 

:thumbsup

Re: Windows XP
 

Very interesting information. I'll just delete email program on desktop and get my email on iPad....maybe even do online banking on iPad also. I don't worry well and all this technology is confusing! :pullhair

Re: Windows XP
 

well, then you might do yourself a humongous favor, and research an iMac--i stumbled into one about a year ago, and have not given a single thought to...any, as in 0, none, of the issues inherent in microsoft. Clicked a bad link and DLed a virus from FB about a month ago; yawn. wicked fast. i have like 9 browsers on it, and never a burp. i'm ruined for windows now, and while win7 is ok, how long before you are getting forced into win8, which is already out, and a living nightmare? i paid $700 for this one, and would pay $700 more tomorrow rather than switch to a brand new, 64 bit, cadillac win 8 pig. ok well, i'm the guy who doesn't use money, so it'd have to be goat's milk... :D

Re: Windows XP
 

I'd look hard at a new machine. By the time you add the costs for an upgrade, for just a few dollars more you can get a new machine.

I use Chrome. I like the minimalist approach.

Re: Windows XP
 

*sigh*. That is also my conclusion and will start using my iPad more and my Desktop less until I can afford to purchase a new computer.

Re: Windows XP
 

If you like Win 8

Re: Windows XP
 

I don't lie win 8 but it 's the future.

Re: Windows XP
 

I still have the XP too.
I wonder when Microsoft will stop supporting?
Windows 8 is not nice.
I wonder when the next version comes out
and if it will be better?
Actually, I think anything would be better
than 8! :nod

Re: Windows XP
 

I would still be using XP too if my computer hadn't give it up, I almost hate the windows 8 that I have. I have had mine close to a year and can do very little with it.

Re: Windows XP
 

If you use the classic start up screen in win8 instead of the metro screen there's little difference between the xp screen and the classic win 8 screen. I bought my wife a new machine with win 8 installed and there's been few problems. The main issues were with outdated applications which wouldn't run on win 8 so we had to buy a newer version. Other than that, it was a relatively easy transition from xp to win 8.

Re: Windows XP
 

i'm ignorant in 8, and your info will be gold to my boss; but i'm buried. he obv is not starting in classic on his new laptop; can you say how to switch to classic in a couple sentences, or should i go ask google? TY!

Re: Windows XP
 

I think you have to have win 8.1 installed for this to work, which is a free upgrade to win 8.

Right click on the taskbar, select Properties. Under the Navigation tab, look for the setting that says, "When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start." Check-mark this setting to enable this feature. Now you will no longer boot directly to the Start Screen.

Re: Windows XP
 

cool, ty. any way to disable apps entirely? ty

Re: Windows XP
 

Did they add the Start button yet back to Win 8?

Re: Windows XP
 

it's some weird little pop-up thing in the lower left that does not say 'start,' and does not take you to a start menu on this one, so no, i don't think.

Re: Windows XP
 

Thanks. I like Spybot and will download Malwarebytes Antimalware.

Re: Windows XP
 

I'm not sure if there's a way to disable apps entirely. What app are you wanting to disable?

Re: Windows XP
 

Can you give a link for those?
Thank you.

Re: Windows XP
 

http://www.safer-networking.org/private/
Spybot
https://www.malwarebytes.org/free/

I downloaded both of these for my windows XP computer.

Re: Windows XP
 

Thank you Sis! :)

Re: Windows XP
 

Good Morning MawMaw,
Microsoft will stop supporting XP and will not provide security updates as of April 2014. I downloaded both Spybot and Malwarebytes as recommended. Be sure to update both programs before running your first scans. It took mine a long time to scan and detected a lot of low security concerns. I just chose to 'fix' them all since I am not savvy enough to pick and choose. :heeheehee
So far, no problem. I then immunized everything.

Going forward I will keep my antivirus program & these 2 programs updated and run scheduled scans. Hopefully, this will keep us safe until we can get updated windows. I'm sure glad we can get help from others on here that understand the complexities of computer use!

Re: Windows XP
 

SuperAntiSpyware is also supposed to be good. You can never have too many anti-spyware programs but don't have more than 1 anti-virus as they will conflict

Re: Windows XP
 

I got them loaded on my computer.
Again, thanks! :)

Re: Windows XP
 

One more question.
How often should these be run....
once a week okay?