Support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 ends on July 13, 2010
According to this support article: http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean31, all patches, updates and support for Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) will end on July 13, 2010. This date was established when Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) was released on April 21, 2008.
This announcement is in line with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy for Windows service packs. This policy states that when a new service pack is released, Microsoft will provide 24 months of support for the previous service pack for products that belong to the Windows product family.
Note The release of a service pack has no impact on Mainstream Support and Extended Support end dates. Therefore, there will be no change to the previously announced end of Mainstream and Extended Support dates for Windows XP. Windows XP will transition from the Mainstream Support phase to the Extended Support phase on April 14, 2009, as scheduled. During the Extended Support phase for Windows XP, Microsoft will continue to provide paid support and security updates at no additional charge. Extended Support for Windows XP will retire on April 8, 2014. At that time, even computers running Service Pack 3 will cease receiving any more updates.
Malware authors are ramping up their efforts to be ready to compromise as many unpatched Windows XP computers as possible, after the July 13 end of support passes. Normally, XP computers are set to download updates automatically, so their owners tend to forget about this important system. After July 13 your computer will no longer receive automatic updates, unless you upgrade to SP3. It will be a sitting duck for hackers, fake anti virus programs, rootkits, password stealers and Botnet installers.
Details about upgrading to XP SP3 are in my extended comments...
What you need to do
If your PC is still running on Windows XP with SP2, you need to upgrade to SP3, as soon as humanly possible. There are several ways to do this, as outlined below.
- Use Automatic Windows Update and allow SP3 to install (you may need to update a driver or two first ... check with your computer's manufacturer for updated drivers for XP-SP3)
- Use your Start Menu link for Windows Update, or Microsoft Update
- Download Service Pack 3 from Microsoft
- Download a CD ISO image of XP SP3
- Order SP3 on a CD from Microsoft
I personally used option 4. All I paid was a small shipping charge and was able to use the SP3 upgrade CD on multiple computers. This is the route to go if you are upgrading more than two computers.
Note
There's no SP3 for the 64-bit version of Windows XP. If you're running the 64-bit version of Windows XP with SP2, you have the latest service pack and will continue to be eligible for support and receive updates until April 8, 2014.
I want to urge you to backup your personal data files, and files and settings, before upgrading to SP3. This is in case something goes wrong during the process.If you haven't got a commercial backup program, just use the built in Windows Backup, found via Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Backup. Check the option to backup either Everything, or Selected files and folders. I recommend starting with the "My Documents" option. Then add other folders where you store important files.
You can use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard, found in the same Accessories folder as Backup, to save a special files containing all of your personalized settings, including your POP3 email accounts and all saved email messages, your desktop icons, startup programs and other settings that only apply to your Welcome Screen identity. If there are multiple users who have logon names, each one can save/export their own Files and Settings.
Again, this is just a backup precaution. In most cases you won't need to do anything after upgrading to SP3.
After you have completed the upgrade to SP3, make sure you turn on Automatic Windows Updates and set them to either Download and Install, Download and Notify, or Notify only.
Last, there are still a lot of people who are running unlicensed copies of Windows XP. Unfortunately, to upgrade to SP3 requires a valid license from Microsoft, You will need to purchaser a valid license from them, or buy a rapidly disappearing original copy of XP and validate using the Product Key on the hologram accompanying the CD. You will probably need to do this over the telephone, to Microsoft support.
If you refuse to make your copies of XP valid, you have nobody but yourself to blame if your XP PC is taken over by a Botnet and put to illegal use by cybercriminals, or if a keylogger is installed via an unpatched vulnerability and your bank accounts are empties and credit cards maxed out.
At least install the best security programs you can afford. See the ads on my blog and links in the lower right sidebar for various reputable paid and free security programs and malware removal forums.
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