must-do's for XP fanatics staying put after April 8th

Ideally, upgrade to W7 or W8.1

If you wish for an easy learning curve go for W7 as W8 won't be around long anyway (W9 is coming). Microsoft says that support for W7 will be around until 2020. As far as I know, they didn't say the same for W8.

Run Windows advisor before upgrading to W7 (or 8) if you decide to make the switch from XP, as some older computers will not be suitable without hardware/program modifications. A new PC might even be cheaper.

If you must stay with XP for gaming, often used program(s) you can't do without that won't work on W7, can't afford the move yet or you are just an XP fanatic, consider these recommendation to stay secure as possible.

1. Make sure you do a regular XP Operating System backup or shadow copy onto an external USB hard drive

2. Disable Internet Explorer and use another Browser such as firefox or one using the firefox engine like Sea Monkey or Pale Moon (wait until final XP update before disabling IE).

3. Set your new default browser to ask what to do with PDFs rather that just opening them

4. Try to use a router that has it's own firewall

5. Un-install any 3rd party software unless really needed

6. Un-install Java unless required

7. Isolate or air-gap networks on XP from other PCs

8. Make sure to download the final Microsoft XP updates before support is finished

9. Consider installing Malwarebytes Pro edition and WinPatrol PLUS to add a further layer of protection to an XP supported Anti-virus program (MSI has extended support for XP until next year).

10. Don't use Outlook Express as your mail handler. Postbox Express (or your choice) is simple and reliable to use. Combine it with Mail Washer or a similar spam filter.
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Worth noting is that 95% of the world's ATMs run on XP and most still will be after April 8th.

China prefers to stick with dying Windows XP rather than upgrade, as do many users in third world and other  countries with a large poor populace (USA lately? )

One thing for sure, many people will not follow any of this advice (and for some even WITH following this advice) and as a result , I'll concur with what Bill Pytlovany of WinPatrol PLUS says:
 

Millions of Windows XP machines will soon become malware infected “bots” sending out spam and attacking computers across the world with software vulnerabilities  as soon as they’re found.

 

I still have some use for my XP OS, but It will be disconnected from the internet after April the 8th.

 

The XP hysteria reminds me a lot of the W2K hysteria that turned out to be a big nothing.

Yes, I know there was a lot of preventative work done before hand, I was on the IBM W2K team for OS/2. Even so, the dire predictions turned out to be untrue. No airplanes crashed, no ships ran aground, railroads continued to run, etc.

I'm wondering if something similar will occur with XP. I keep reading about the experts saying malware writers are holding onto their XP attacks until after April 8th when no updates will be released to fix security holes. What is not being considered is anti-virus/anti-malware companies will still be releasing updates fro XP for a long time yet.

I'm not encouraging people to stay with XP, far from it. XP is old, stale and boring but many people hate change, my brother being one. W7 or W8 is where folks should be.

It will be interesting to see what happens.

"The XP hysteria reminds me a lot of the W2K hysteria that turned out to be a big nothing.

 

Yes, I know there was a lot of preventative work done before hand, I was on the IBM W2K team for OS/2. Even so, the dire predictions turned out to be untrue. No airplanes crashed, no ships ran aground, railroads continued to run, etc".

 

The XP "panic" whipped to a frenzy by security companies, a complicit media,  Microsoft and anyone else connected to making money from security software or computer sales, has been a disgrace. Like many of the other "the sky is going to fall in" predicted past attacks, the zero day cyber criminal ATTACK on XP never eventuated and I doubt it ever will.

 

Current XP 3rd party security (the very same found on W7 and W8) is still being updated and a quick perusal of the Melware forum here and elsewhere,  show there has been no increase in XP melware problems or  meltdown, just the same old user activated malware that has always been with us, regardless of the operating system or security being used.

 

When they design a security patch for PC users, malware will just about disappear!

 

PS: added info -

(quote) Is the Sky Really Falling? …some of the dire security warnings circulating in the tech press – don’t pass the ‘smell test’.

  more here…  The Geek That Cried Wolf