No more support for Windows XP

[Drs_Res]

Does anyone have some good advice as to what to do for a home user who has to keep using Windows XP for awhile? E.g. any good free anti-virus programs to use? Adjust firewall settings? Etc.





Yup, I was getting those too. Indeed, they even seemed to have messed up my computer and I had to outright stop MSE from running at startup.

Got these tips for you, and some of them should apply to all operating systems anyway. Tips are from Leo Laporte and F-Secure.


1. Install Windows XP's final update.

2. Use Windows XP as a "limited user."

3. Use the Google Chrome or Firefox browsers instead of Internet Explorer.

4. Make sure all programs are patched and up to date. If you're using an older version of Microsoft Office, make sure the security settings are set high.

5. Review the third-party software you’ve installed and uninstall anything that isn’t needed, do a “spring cleaning” and get rid of old software. Because old software very often equals vulnerable software.

6. For the third-party software that you keep – consider disabling or uninstalling the browser plugins. Set the browser to “always ask” what to do about things such as PDF files.

7. Do you need Java installed? If not uninstall it. Same with Flash.

8. Only download software from original vendors. Don't download programs from a third party download site; make sure it's from the actual source.

9. Don't click on links in email. These links may be deceiving, and malicious links could appear to be coming from someone you know.

10. Keep antivirus software up to date.

11. Connect to the internet through a router. This will act as a hardware firewall, which will protect against attacks.

12. Disconnect Windows XP from the internet. If you don't need to be online with your Windows XP computer, then cutting it off from the outside world is highly recommended.


Links:
Leo Laporte

Page 13 of this document from F-Secure

 

[Orphia Nay]

Made the move today from my XP puter to Mr Nay's old Windows 7 puter.

Took 6 hours so far, but at least I didn't pull any of my hair out!

I'm sure that will happen when I try to work out what happened to my iTunes. Seems I've only got Mr Nay's library now. Good thing we've got similar tastes!

 

[The_Fire]

Made the move today from my XP puter to Mr Nay's old Windows 7 puter.

Took 6 hours so far, but at least I didn't pull any of my hair out!

I'm sure that will happen when I try to work out what happened to my iTunes. Seems I've only got Mr Nay's library now. Good thing we've got similar tastes!

If you are on seperate accounts on itunes, and copied your library from the old computer, try cheking if you are logged in with your own or mr nays account. You will most likely have to approve the new puter for your account as well.

 

[a_unique_person]

I'll see what I can dig up today. My computer was the only one not affected yesterday (yay?). But yeah, I just saw that warning last morning. I think after that other people said their computers just kept rebooting. Word came down that it would be solved by getting W7... January 2015. Emergency meeting with the county IT director is scheduled next week to try to come up with an alternative solution, so I assume the complaints are accurate enough.

It is very lulzy. We were on IE 6 until last year. All computers had to get Chrome installed, because all sorts of websites wouldn't work, but State systems only work with IE.

Also, the certificate of the domain we have our public Wi-Fi policy acceptance is invalid, so the public can never figure out how to use it.

Basically, it probably has more to do with our IT than Microsoft, but it is quite fun.

Probably more to do with the funding for your IT department. A lot of places seem to have a policy of doing nothing till it is broken. They think it saves them money.

 

[Orphia Nay]

If you are on seperate accounts on itunes, and copied your library from the old computer, try cheking if you are logged in with your own or mr nays account. You will most likely have to approve the new puter for your account as well.

Thanks. I'm afraid we use the same account, and my library doesn't seem to have copied, so I fear I'm going to have to download things again bit by bit. We do have sharing turned on between computers, I think. Not sure if we've hit the max number of shared computers though. Don't you just love iTunes?!

 

[El Greco]

Is there any way to turn off the annoying message from MSE that pops up every time I restart my computer without disabling MSE messages in general (i.e. Security--> change the way MSE warns me -->disable messages)?

You have to uninstall the current vesion of MSE and install a previous version of MSE (available among other places from here: http://www.filehippo.com/download_security_essentials_xp/51102). Then, when you are prompted to upgrade MSE don't do it and specify that you don't want to be reminded about this update anymore.

MSE will be receiving new virus and malware definitions until July 2015.

 

[RationalVetMed]

Just a quick note to finally thank everyone for their advice on this thread - it's been very helpful.

In case anyone is interested in the final outcome I decided to take the plunge and order a new lap-top, even though my old one wasn't actually broken. I've had good experience with Toshiba so I got a Satellite C50 with 8Gb of RAM. The decision was based in part on the win-XP thing but also, at 1Gb RAM, my old one was getting really slow, especially with one enormous website file I have.

So I've spent the last 2 days trying to get used to it and to Windows 8.1 which it came with, and at times coming close to throwing it out of the window with frustration but I'm getting there. To be fair one of the problems was with Toshiba who decided to change the F5 button from "refresh" on my last laptop to "switch off touch-pad" in my new one, so I spent a good couple of hours working out why the cursor wouldn't move before it dawned on me what was wrong. And the "tile" keyboard is a nightmare.

I've set it to boot to the windows 7-style desktop for the sake of familiarity but I still can't get used to the onboard programmes (sorry, apps) such as calculator and reader which insist on loading full screen every time. I don't need a calculator that big and it seems a complete backward step, away from something that microsoft started way back when - the ability to see several programmes on screen at once and switch between them by clicking on the one you want not by 'swishing' around on the touch pad until you find it.

If anyone can tell me how to get them to load in a seperate window I'd be very grateful.

The little icons (sorry, charms - eugh) that swish in from the side and top are ok and quite useful but I can't help thinking this is more change for its own sake or just to be fashionable rather than any more useful than before. Still, I'm determined to give them a go.

But it's ok, I'm getting used to it and am glad to have made the change. Also it's quite a novelty to make a planned change rather than what I usually do and wait until my old computer breaks before doing anything, and then scurry around looking for back-ups that may or may not have worked!

It's good to read also that Win 8, despite its little quirks is, at the bottom of it all, a good and robust operating system. That means a lot to someone who still misses DOS-tree!

All the best,

Yuri

 

[quadraginta]

<snip>

If anyone can tell me how to get them to load in a seperate window I'd be very grateful.

<snip>

I avoid the issue by not using the Metro apps very much (as in, hardly ever). I've got programs I've been using for quite a while, and there isn't any reason to stop.

Just because the metro apps are there doesn't mean I have to give up the programs I've been using. I see the whole Metro interface as an addition to the OS, not a replacement.

MS has always included mini versions of applications that come as part of the distribution and don't necessarily offer full functionality. I never had any trouble ignoring them before, and it hasn't been a problem with this upgrade, either.

 

[Andy_Ross]

Don't use the Calculator App, use the old windows calc it is still there
or use the 'split screen' feature so the Calculator App only takes up half the screen

 

[Charlie Wilkes]

Just a quick note to finally thank everyone for their advice on this thread - it's been very helpful.

In case anyone is interested in the final outcome I decided to take the plunge and order a new lap-top, even though my old one wasn't actually broken. I've had good experience with Toshiba so I got a Satellite C50 with 8Gb of RAM. The decision was based in part on the win-XP thing but also, at 1Gb RAM, my old one was getting really slow, especially with one enormous website file I have.

So I've spent the last 2 days trying to get used to it and to Windows 8.1 which it came with, and at times coming close to throwing it out of the window with frustration but I'm getting there. To be fair one of the problems was with Toshiba who decided to change the F5 button from "refresh" on my last laptop to "switch off touch-pad" in my new one, so I spent a good couple of hours working out why the cursor wouldn't move before it dawned on me what was wrong. And the "tile" keyboard is a nightmare.

I've set it to boot to the windows 7-style desktop for the sake of familiarity but I still can't get used to the onboard programmes (sorry, apps) such as calculator and reader which insist on loading full screen every time. I don't need a calculator that big and it seems a complete backward step, away from something that microsoft started way back when - the ability to see several programmes on screen at once and switch between them by clicking on the one you want not by 'swishing' around on the touch pad until you find it.

If anyone can tell me how to get them to load in a seperate window I'd be very grateful.

The little icons (sorry, charms - eugh) that swish in from the side and top are ok and quite useful but I can't help thinking this is more change for its own sake or just to be fashionable rather than any more useful than before. Still, I'm determined to give them a go.

But it's ok, I'm getting used to it and am glad to have made the change. Also it's quite a novelty to make a planned change rather than what I usually do and wait until my old computer breaks before doing anything, and then scurry around looking for back-ups that may or may not have worked!

It's good to read also that Win 8, despite its little quirks is, at the bottom of it all, a good and robust operating system. That means a lot to someone who still misses DOS-tree!

All the best,

Yuri

Heh. You just don't get it: many people are now using phones instead of computers, so you need a calculator that takes up your entire screen, because that's how it is on a phone.

But, if you insist on living in the stone age, your OS includes a desktop calculator... Windows\System32\calc.exe. It opens in a little window and works just like every Windows calculator going back to 3x... unless they got rid of it or moved it with 8.1.

Which would not surprise me at all.

 

[RationalVetMed]

Heh. You just don't get it: many people are now using phones instead of computers, so you need a calculator that takes up your entire screen, because that's how it is on a phone.

But, if you insist on living in the stone age...

My son, during all this, said to me - with a roll of the eyes "look Dad, you grew up with the old Windows and you have to get used to the new ways". I pointed out to him that in fact I grew up with slide-rules and the binary code!

...your OS includes a desktop calculator... Windows\System32\calc.exe. It opens in a little window and works just like every Windows calculator going back to 3x..

Ooh yes, there it is! Many thanks for that.

Right, back to my flint napping - this silicone technology is a marvel.



Yuri

 

[Wudang]

Windows 8 is fine once you get over the tablet-oriented front-end. I spent $7.99 on this https://store.stardock.com/product/ESD-SDS-W1225