Windows “Whistler” XP – August 2001 – April 2014

Still running Microsoft Windows XP in your business?  In April 2014,  Microsoft is switching support for XP OFF.

This is no joke: Microsoft is putting XP to the grave. There will be no more security updates or patches. If you’re still using it and a weakness or exploit is found, tough luck: there will be no fix nor protection from Microsoft anymore.  Your computer security WILL be at risk.

From experience, this is not a small or minute problem. Over 35% of all office PCs in Ireland are still running Windows XP. The public sector – including schools, hospitals, government departments, authorities and other institutions – also use the 12-year-old operating system in large numbers. From April 2014, these departments will be at risk, FACT.

Depending on the size of your business and the amount of devices in use, if you haven’t already started transferring over to Windows 8 or even Windows 7, it’s probably too late to make it in time for April 2014. Microsoft calculates that it takes at least a year for most companies to fully ‘migrate’ from XP to a newer operating system. ( this figure varies, obviously)

Why such a lengthy delay?  Proprietary / custom software – specific software programs that are designed to work with Windows XP and Windows XP only, usually in 32bit architecture.  64 bit what?

So, upgrading from XP to Windows 8 or Windows 7 could mean a much larger, costly overhaul with significant logistics involved.

But don’t try pleading that when you’re calling on Microsoft for help – the company’s Irish executives have made it quite clear that such excuses will fall on deaf ears. They have advertised the switch off for years. The company has been warning about this for at least two years. They have sent emails, put out leaflets, blogged, phoned up key customers etc. Microsoft even deferred the shut-off date on a previous occasion due to customer inaction on the matter. But not this time – no more shut-off’s. From April 2014, Microsoft has firmly stated that you’re on your own with XP.

When the first serious exploit and virus attack aimed at XP occurs in April 2014, Microsoft are adamant that they won’t answer your calls on it.

“Microsoft Windows XP is no longer safe enough to defend against the onslaught of modern threats that organisations face on a daily basis,” warns an official Microsoft document given out to multiple Irish business customers.

“Businesses that still run Windows XP will become even more vulnerable to malware and attacks after April 2014. The most significant risk is that PCs, and the data they contain, could be hacked and compromised. Today, Windows XP is 21 times more likely to be infected by malware than Windows 8.”

Thinking of upgrading your office systems from Windows XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8?  Call us today for a free, no quibble quotation.