Windows XP is dead, but not Vista or Windows 7!

As the local friendly tech support guy (for family friends and neighbours) I am slightly amused, or rather NOT so amused by the fact that I have been approached by people that have 'heard' that we all have to upgrade to Windows 8 because Microsoft will no longer support their existing systems very soon.

Now seeing as I have been approached about this by completely different people, I can only conclude that Microsoft either on purpose or accidentally is pushing this bullshit through various channels to trick people into throwing out their existing PCs in favour of the brand new Windows 8.

This sort of thing pisses me off no end, as so many folks are pretty clueless when it comes to this sort of thing and at the same time so dependent on their trusty home computers.

So I'm just putting this post out to reproduce the true data from Microsoft themselves regarding when people need to change their existing home computer setup and when they DON'T need to do anything at all.

Here's the details from Microsoft.
Client operating systemsLatest update or service packEnd of extended support
Windows XP

Windows Vista
April 11, 2017

Windows 7 *
January 14, 2020

Windows 8
January 10, 2023

* Support for Windows 7 RTM without service packs ended on April 9, 2013. Be sure to install Windows 7 Service Pack 1 today to continue to receive support and updates.
To start with, most important to know is that "Extended Support" means that you get security updates. Security Updates are the first line of defense against all the nasty viruses and stuff on the internet, you need to have these. If you're not getting these, then you're in for a potentially virus-ridden computer, maybe not immediately, but eventually.

This means, good people of planet earth, that if you are running Windows XP you need to take action before the 8th of April to either get your current computer upgraded to Windows 7 or Windows 8, or buy a new computer (that will have Windows 8 on it automatically).

However, if you are running Windows vista, or Windows 7, or Windows 8 already. You don't have to change anything. Just keep the date for Extended Support of your version of Windows in mind!

To check your version of Windows, click THIS LINK for instructions.

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