Linda posted on March 11, 2010 03:14
A recent message from Microsoft showed up in my inbox with the subject Support for Windows XP with SP2 and Windows Vista Ends July 13, 2010. Messages like this get my attention and since support for Vista was mentioned, it really got my attention.
So what exactly is ending on July 13th?
For Vista, this date marks the end of standard support for Windows Vista RTM. RTM was the initial release of Vista. If you were one of first to adopt this operating system and you have not kept up to date with security updates and service packs, you should definitely head to Microsoft's update site and install all of the updates that are available for your system. Microsoft has released two service packs for Vista. Note that you may have to install intermediate updates before you can install service packs, so it may take multiple visits to Microsoft's site to get your system completely up to date.
For XP, Microsoft is discontinuing extended support for systems that are running SP2. SP3 is available and should be installed through the Microsoft update site. Note that this announcement means that there will no longer be any security updates for versions of XP that are running SP2.
Of course, another option is to go ahead and upgrade to Windows 7. Obviously, that is what Microsoft would like for you to do. If you have questions about whether or not to upgrade, you can visit Microsoft's Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor for more information. If you are considering upgrades for your business, consult with your network support company to determine the costs to deploy Windows 7 and determine your best course of action.
Also included in the announcement is the discontinuation of extended support for all versions of Windows 2000. If you have a server that is running Windows 2000 Server or a desktop that is running Windows 2000 Professional, your update is long overdue. And don't even think about trying to keep your existing hardware and just upgrade the operating system. You need a new server or desktop with the latest software. Trust me when I say that the productivity improvements you will see when you do this will more than pay for your upgrade in a short amount of time. If you don't believe me, check out my newsletter article about how much difference a similar upgrade made for TMN Builders.
If you are running Windows 200 Server that crashes and you have problems with any part of the recovery process, there will be no possibility of assistance from Microsoft. While we don't often need to contact Microsoft in these situations, we have had occasions where things have gone awry and it has been necessary to get their assistance. And it was more frequent with earlier versions of the operating system than it has been recently.
Even more critical than the announcement from Microsoft is the risk being taken every day by using computers that do not have all of the security updates applied. The world wide economic downturn has meant an uptake in cyber crime and if your computer is not up to date with all security patches, you are an easy target.
For more information on keeping your computer safe from security threats, download my free report here.