Windows XP Windows XP countdown clock ticks under 500 days

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Windows XP countdown clock ticks under 500 days
Retirement deadline for Microsoft's longest-lived OS is 'ticking time bomb,' says migration firm

Computerworld - Windows XP has fewer than 500 days left to live, according to Microsoft and third-party countdown clocks.

The 11-year-old operating system will exit support April 8, 2014, when Microsoft serves users with their final security updates.

On Saturday, the retirement countdown clocks offered by Microsoft and others flipped from 500 to 499 days, or a shade under 17 months.

Microsoft provides a countdown gadget for Windows XP's support demise. Ironically, the gadget runs only on Windows 7, the 2009 OS that most customers have adopted after departing XP.

Camwood, a U.K.-based company that specializes in helping businesses migrate their machines to newer operating systems and software, has posted a similar clock on its website. Like Microsoft's gadget, Camwood's also showed 499 days remaining on Saturday.

When Microsoft pulls XP's plug, it will have maintained the operating system for 12 years and five months, or about two-and-a-half years longer than its usual practice. That's also a record, replacing the previous Methuselah, Windows NT, which received 11 years and 5 months of support.

XP's long life was caused in large part by the debacle that was Windows Vista, an oft-delayed operating system that was ultimately rejected by most XP users for being buggy, sluggish or lacking in driver support. Instead, those customers waited for the next iteration, Windows 7, which has been as much a success as Vista was a failure.

According to Web metrics company Net Applications, Windows XP powered 40.7% of the world's desktop and notebook personal computers that went online last month. Windows 7, which passed its ancestor only in August, held a usage share of 44.7% in October.

Meanwhile, Windows Vista, which peaked at 19.1% in October 2009, the same month Windows 7 debuted, now accounts for just 5.8% of all systems.

Microsoft has remained adamant that XP will exit support in April 2014, and has urged customers to upgrade as soon as possible. But countdown clocks notwithstanding, analysts have predicted that XP will be used by millions well after that deadline.

Last month, for instance, Gartner analyst Michael Silver said "there's a good chance" that between 10% and 15% of enterprise PCs will be running XP after April 2014.

Computerworld's forecasts have been overly optimistic about XP's decline. In mid-2011, Computerworld predicted that Windows XP would account for 38% in the third quarter of 2012, three percentage points lower than the eventual number.

Current estimates based on Net Applications' data indicate that come April 2014, Windows XP will be running between 27% and 29% of the world's computers.

"The end of XP support is a potential time bomb," Camwood said last week. "And the clock is ticking."

Windows XP users who want to create a countdown clock on their desktops can install one of several free utilities -- including TimeLeft from Canadian developer NesterSoft -- then set the countdown target at 10 a.m. PT on April 8, 2014. (Microsoft shoots for a 10 a.m. PT release for each month's security updates.)



Gregg Keizer covers Microsoft, security issues, Apple, Web browsers and general technology breaking news for Computerworld.
 
Still running XP on my desktop.....may finally get a new one and have 7 running on that one.
 
464 days now ;)

Those who intend to use Win XP after the support ends should look at keeping a backup folder of all current Win XP updates.

You can create all updates for XP, Win 7, Office etc for offline installation using a free utility called WSUS Offline Update
Once you make the offline update you only need to run it again occasionally to keep things current & each time you run it it increments on the last update you created.

Code:
http://download.wsusoffline.net/

Your offline update can be made to a folder, CD\DVD or USB Pen drive.

[video=youtube;5yRZbRTEW1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yRZbRTEW1U[/video]
 
I've ahabit of disabling automatic updates on my current laptop since it only has 700MB (approx) RAM, tend to run it occasionally but sometimes I might leave it for quite a while. Think I'll either chose this method Gman, or just switch to Linux and use this machine as an occasional internet surfing machine..
 
Hi all, I run XP and have done for many years, I love it. My dilemma is...should i upgrade or am i over reacting?
Although Microsoft say support will end April 2014 i,m sure many will keep running it due to it,s popularity, so my thinking is i should get a few more years out of it yet, unless anyone wants to correct me?
My next question is if I were to upgrade which system is best for an ageing dinosaur like me? I honestly do not know the first thing about any other O/P....vista,7,8 etc (have i missed any?)...... so any input would be most helpful.
Which leads me to my final question.....If i were to choose a new O/P how much would it cost?
Many thanks in advance.....fatboy(y)
 
Bottom line, XP will be fine for many years to come even when official supports ends in 425 days time.

Realistically you need to answer these questions, if you answer them all with a yes? nothing else matters regardless of the old Apple philosophy "I must at any expense have the latest & greatest"

1. Am I comfortable using XP & familiar with most of its capabilities?

2. Does it do everything I need an OS to do?

3. Am I a practical person in the sense that I prefer functionality & ease of use over eye candy & the pain of a new learning curve?



I would advise that users wishing to keep XP (and I'm another one of them) should take the following steps to ensure the smooth clean install after doomsday lol I'm keeping XP alive here but am also using the newer OS's too. No point in being left in the dark ages over time either, but always nice to have the choice ;)


1. Create & keep up to date an offline copy of all XP updates. This is easily done using THIS method.

2. Keep safe any XP drivers you are likely to need in the future.
 
1. Am I comfortable using XP & familiar with most of its capabilities?

2. Does it do everything I need an OS to do?

3. Am I a practical person in the sense that I prefer functionality & ease of use over eye candy & the pain of a new learning curve?
In short the answer to all 3 is yes. So .......maybe worry about it when i have to and keep my hard earned cash in the bank a wee bit longer.
No point in being left in the dark ages over time either,
Well thats me all over i,m afraid, i am not accustomed to change and stuck in my ways but always seem to catch up eventually.
1. Create & keep up to date an offline copy of all XP updates. This is easily done using THIS method.

2. Keep safe any XP drivers you are likely to need in the future.
I will definitely take a look at this.
Many thanks Gman as always most helpful(y)
 
hey fatboy,i too am an old dinosaur and win 7 was really easy to get used to.i loved xp but after using win7 would not go back.the nice thing about 7 is the help files.all on line and very intuitive.if you have a problem just type in a keyword or two and voila.also has various troubleshooters that actually work.all in all a very tidy operating system that works on a lot of older machines as well.put it on a single core 2.8ghz celeron d with a gig of ram and it worked better than xp.2 gigs is better tho.Al.
 
hey fatboy,i too am an old dinosaur and win 7 was really easy to get used to.i loved xp but after using win7 would not go back.the nice thing about 7 is the help files.all on line and very intuitive.if you have a problem just type in a keyword or two and voila.also has various troubleshooters that actually work.all in all a very tidy operating system that works on a lot of older machines as well.put it on a single core 2.8ghz celeron d with a gig of ram and it worked better than xp.2 gigs is better tho.Al.
Thanks aldan much appreciated. To be honest i was looking at windows7 to upgrade to and from the reviews i,ve read it seems the obvious choice. Still undecided whether to upgrade now or wait until XP D-day? Also i,ve been looking at prices for w7 and they seem to vary by a considerable amount!!! I,m looking at the "Home premium" version and can get it for around £45 to £55 does that sound about right?
Also i have office 2007 is this compatible with W7? (thats the thick side of me coming out again)
Many thanks....fatboy.
 
I have followed Windows from 95 right through to Windows 8. I currently are using Windows 7 but i am still building machines and putting Xp on. The reason i do this is because peoples old printers and scanners are not supported by 7 or 8....
 
I have followed Windows from 95 right through to Windows 8. I currently are using Windows 7 but i am still building machines and putting Xp on. The reason i do this is because peoples old printers and scanners are not supported by 7 or 8....
Thank you for this but i have been told my epson all in one is compatible with a patch from epson if needed so i think i,m rocking.:peace:
 
Yes Fatboy, office 2007 is compatible with Windows 7. I use it on both XP and 7 (y)
 
yep i use office 2000 and it works just fine.you should download and install the office 2007 compatiblity pack from microsoft downloads so your 2007 version can work with docx documents.printer should work too.might not be a driver from the manufacturer but win 7 generic driver should work just fine.Al
 
Thanks to all for your input(y). I,m 99.9% sure i,ll go with W7 in the very near future, drag myself out of the stoneage, and sure know where to come if i cock it up;)
 
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