[Virtual Geezer]

Attention Windows XP Users

On April 8, 2014 Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows XP and that includes security patches.

What does that mean for the person that still has a computer using Windows XP is that you will no longer have any protection against hackers attacking the operating system or your computer. Between now and April hackers will just be hacking as always but not releasing the hacks until after April 8, 2014. If they release the operating system hack today Microsoft will catch it and make corrections and release a security patch to block the hack. That will all be going away.

For more details please read the following link and start planning accordingly.

XP's retirement will be hacker heaven - Computerworld

VG

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by Virtual Geezer

[B][SIZE="4"]On April 8, 2014 Microsoft will no longer be supporting Windows XP and that includes security patches.

What does that mean for the person that still has a computer using Windows XP is that you will no longer have any protection against hackers attacking the operating system or your computer

I still use XP, Virtual, as some of my software/hardware is not supported in Vista or 7.

On the optimistic side, hackers want as much publicity as possible and, while I don't have the exact figures to hand, many users have now progressed to Vista and 7 so hopefully the hackers will be concentrating their efforts there.

Still pays to be careful, though, and "use protection".

[Arctic Fox]

Originally Posted by AutoBike

Most of the good virus protection software isn't written by Microsoft, but by third parties such as Symantec and McAfee. And you can get virus updates from Symantec almost daily.

Agreed - I am an AVG fan

[Virtual Geezer]

Originally Posted by AutoBike

Most of the good virus protection software isn't written by Microsoft, but by third parties such as Symantec and McAfee. And you can get virus updates from Symantec almost daily.

Sorry to burst the bubble but I was heavily involved with anti virus protection for a major US trucking company. This was both on the client side of things and the network side. Both products made a big push to get out business. Symantec caused more problem that it corrected. We junked it in no time. McAfee is almost as bad. I have personally run both on computers here at home and both have caused all kinds of issues with software that I purchased. Both have blocked legal upgrades to purchased software that had been running for months with no problem. Both were junked in favor of Microsoft Security Essentials.

Another thing is that MSE takes no where near the overhead and resources to run as McAfee or Symantec.

To top things off Microsoft Security Essentials is FREE and is updated every day. A scan is run and you would not even know it.

Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes is all that is needed.

VG

[Virtual Geezer]

Originally Posted by Arctic Fox

Agreed - I am an AVG fan

AVG is also known for giving false positive alerts on programs they say has a virus and they don't.

VG

[Hancle704]

Originally Posted by Virtual Geezer

Another thing is that MSE takes no where near the overhead and resources to run as McAfee or Symantec.

To top things off Microsoft Security Essentials is FREE and is updated every day. A scan is run and you would not even know it.

Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes is all that is needed.

VG

Amen brother, been using both and have had no issues.

[JP]

Thanks for the heads up. Good to know.

[Indydealmaker]

Originally Posted by Virtual Geezer

Sorry to burst the bubble but I was heavily involved with anti virus protection for a major US trucking company. This was both on the client side of things and the network side. Both products made a big push to get out business. Symantec caused more problem that it corrected. We junked it in no time. McAfee is almost as bad. I have personally run both on computers here at home and both have caused all kinds of issues with software that I purchased. Both have blocked legal upgrades to purchased software that had been running for months with no problem. Both were junked in favor of Microsoft Security Essentials.

Another thing is that MSE takes no where near the overhead and resources to run as McAfee or Symantec.

To top things off Microsoft Security Essentials is FREE and is updated every day. A scan is run and you would not even know it.

Microsoft Security Essentials and Malwarebytes is all that is needed.

VG

[gustavo]

Originally Posted by Virtual Geezer

Attention Windows XP Users

What does that mean for the person that still has a computer using Windows XP is that you will no longer have any protection against hackers attacking the operating system or your computer.

VG

The day I started my xp system, the first order of business was to disable security updates, worse than a virus. use a free malware program and you're good to go.

[Blackie]

Unfortunately on recent comparison tests Microsoft Security Essentials does not fare well against its competition in the "virus protection” category.

The program is good in the performance and usability categories but for virus protection is does not do too well - in comparison.

See attached test results.

AV-TEST - The Independent IT-Security Institute: Mar/Apr 2013

Click the red arrow on the right of the Microsoft detail line for more information.

[zcaveman]

I have an old laptop that is XP and it will stay XP until it dies.

I will stick with my Norton NIS. I have tried MacAfee and the free AVG and was not happy with either of them.

Z

[LI SNOWBIRD]

Originally Posted by zcaveman

I have an old laptop that is XP and it will stay XP until it dies.

I will stick with my Norton NIS. I have tried MacAfee and the free AVG and was not happy with either of them.

Z

I'm with ya on XP but use Avast with no problems

[justjim]

Hey, maybe Santa will bring a new computer this year. Apple?