Microsoft has ended support for some versions of Windows XP and Vista

Not to panic though, as this only applies to people that have not installed the latest Service Pack updates.  Here’s what versions have been cut off:

1) Windows XP with Service Pack 1 and 2 (effective July 13, 2010)

2) Windows Vista without any Service Packs (effective April 13, 2010)

What does this mean for you?  It means that you will no longer receive any Windows updates, unless you install Service Pack 3 for XP, or Service Pack 1 for Vista (although Vista has 2 service packs and you should install both).

How do I get These Service Packs if I’ve missed the deadline and have been cut off?

You can still update your PC manually by going to the Windows Update website if you have Windows XP.  If you have Vista, just go to the Control Panel and run the Windows Update application from there.

The absolute final cutoff date for all versions of Windows XP is not until 2014.  That doesn’t mean you should run it until then.  You will find that as time goes by, you will not be able to find new programs or peripherals (like printers) that will work on XP.  Vendors of these products will begin cutting off support and compatibility for XP long before 2014.

What about Vista?  Believe it or not, Vista’s cutoff date is April 2012, earlier than XP’s!  Why is this?  We believe it’s because XP has a huge installed base in the corporate world, while Vista is almost nonexistent.  Microsoft is giving corporate users more time than private users to upgrade, as there is a lot of money there.

Well, there you have it.  We can’t stress enough how much we encourage people to switch over to the new Windows 7.  It is fantastic!  In the 7 months it has been out, it has proven to be solid, stable and fast.  We’re blown away by its performance and reliability.

If you’d like to learn more, contact us.  Click here for our contact information, as well as more information about our company, Saguaro PC Tech.