Windows XP Support has Ended: PC Lockdown Has Started
On April 8th, 2014, Microsoft announced it is no longer officially supporting the Windows XP operating system. This means that they will no longer make updates to fix threats and issues or have technical/customer support available for users of Windows XP. This has sent ripples in the IT field and among PC users worldwide; There are still over a billion people who use Windows XP. With Microsoft’s support lockdown for Windows XP, many users are now forced to upgrade to a new OS or risk having to deal with unmitigated micro-disasters.
Windows based Security and open group policies on Windows XP was recognized as the premier OS and has stood the test of time. Even though it’s been retired in early 2014; Microsoft’s Windows XP is housed on more than a billion PC’s worldwide.
Can I Continue to Use Windows XP?
Yes. Your Windows XP computer will still work but it might become more vulnerable to security risks and viruses. Also, as more software and hardware manufacturers continue to optimize for more recent versions of Windows, you can expect to encounter more apps and devices that do not work with Windows XP.
Can I keep my Windows XP PC protected?
Yes, you have two options.
Upgrade Your Current PC
Very few older computers are able to run Windows 8.1. So if cost is an issue then you will want to look at what you use your XP machines for. If they run vital apps that are no longer available for newer operating systems, or if your XP systems are public access machines you may want to look at locking these machines down instead of upgrading.
Preserve (Lockdown) Your Current Windows XP Systems
First off, let’s look at Windows XP Professional and what you need to do to be secure. This is a comprehensive article focused on locking down Windows XP and preserving XP’s desktop.
Locking Down Windows XP: 101
The following are a list of essentials of locking down and protecting Windows XP based PC’s – post retirement. This will enable your XP system to be lean, mean and ready to do fight off any viral or malicious attack.
* Protect file shares
* Enable Internet Connection Firewall
* Use software restriction policies
* Use account passwords
* Disable or delete unnecessary services
* Set stronger password policies
* Set GPO account lockout policy
* Install anti-virus software and updates
* Keep up-to-date on the latest security updates
* Finally have RollBack Rx to preserve your settings.
Is Windows XP Finally EOL (Dead)? Not Quite – Here’s What to Do if You’ve Still Got XP Machines
Horizon DataSys realized that this void now exists. It didn’t take our company long to piece the puzzle together: A new freeware alternative recovery software for Windows XP needs to be made to help maintain the functionality of the popular OS and reduce the necessity for costly upgrades.
Windows XP is a perfectly fine OS, and in fact is probably one of the most popular operating systems on the planet. With over a billion users, we know that we need instant recovery software specifically designed for Windows XP. For this reason, Horizon DataSys created RollBack XP, a freeware system recovery alternative for Windows XP specifically. This will ultimately to help preserve Windows XP.
RollBack XP Removes the Need for Costly Industry-Wide OS Upgrades
There are many data recovery software tools that are available for Windows, but there is nothing that is catered to Windows XP specifically now that there is a support lockdown for the OS. RollBack XP fixes this issue by providing a 10-snapshot, 1-baseline solution for instant recovery. It functions just like RollBack RX, but the freeware version can only take up to 10 snapshots. There will be an option to upgrade to a pad version and have an unlimited number of snapshots as well. This all makes RollBack XP an ideal recovery solution for XP.