Microsoft XP
This is the last year of Microsoft XP as the new Vista version became available on 30th January 2007 and will gradually replace the older version. Much of the information for XP will also be usable for Vista as the core system is very similar, though there has been a great deal of construction done on the security for Vista as well as the obvious new look with its "Aero" theme.
We do not cover any of the older Microsoft versions - 95, 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, as they are not longer supported by Microsoft and can have many security issues that cannot be fixed easily, if at all. Also most manufacturers no longer offer support for these Operating Systems with there new products, making the software completely redundant for new hardware and software.
Is XP Dead ?
Although there has been a lot of hype about the new Vista program we will still see XP users using the older software for many years to come. Looking back to previous major upgrades by Microsoft, I would expect that many XP users to still be using it another 3 or 4 years, maybe even longer.
Why ?
Well seeing that we are in 2007, over 25% of XP users still have not upgrade to the free SP2 (Service Pack2) that has been available since the 8th October 2004 for free download at Microsoft and from numerous magazine CD's that came out in late 2004.
If you are still running XP without SP2, I encourage you to get it installed asap. It fixed many security issues with the software and does not dial home for Authentication Verification before or after installation. It is just a big security patch for your XP operating system.
Most of the problems that develop on XP tend to be security issues with the internet, so check out our "XP Problems" page for help in dealing with some of the most common issues.