Windows XP Support to End

All Microsoft Windows XP (and Office 2003) technical support and operating system updates will be officially ending on April 8th, 2014. This means that if your computer runs Windows XP you should consider upgrading before support ends to avoid complications.

Why is Microsoft ending support?

Windows XP has been a popular operating system since it was released in 1999, but 13 years later Microsoft needs to focus its attention on keeping Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 up to date. Most operating systems are supported for much shorter periods of time, so this was one of the longest supported operating system releases for any computer.

What does this mean if I run XP?

After support ends Microsoft will no longer provide security updates and bug fixes. That means your computer will be vulnerable to malware and other forms of exploitation. Running an insecure computer can lead to your private data being exposed and other nasty consequences. We highly recommend replacing all Windows XP systems before April 8th, 2014 in order to avoid any problems.

How do I transfer my data?

Most users have documents, pictures, music and sometimes videos. These files can be transferred by using an external hard drive, flash drive, burning DVDs or uploading them to a cloud-based storage service like Google Drive. More complex data sets, like Outlook PST files, may require being exported before you can gain access to them.