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by: KayBrenner
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Our most beloved operating system is packing its bags for the big switch off. At the end of June 2008, Microsoft will stop offering support for Windows XP.

The news comes as a big disappointment to those of who have come to trust the system, which we have grown to love and still favor over the troublesome Microsoft Vista. Since its release, the average user has spent 8000 hours in front of their PCs connected to the Internet.

So if you're not ready to make the switch to the world of slick graphics and smooth animation that is Windows Vista what are you going to do after the cut-off?

Solving Tech Problems with Windows XP

In terms of getting support for the numerous technical issues that XP users come across everyday, some form of support from Microsoft will exist until at least 2014, so that gives you another six years, although the support may be more difficult to get hold of.

You may want to purchase a premium tech support service to get around this problem or purchase software to keep your registry in tact. Or you can search on tech forums as there is a good chance if you have a problem that other users will also have the same problem far easier than asking Microsoft for support

Acquiring XP on New PC

As for buying XP on a new PC despite the bosses at Microsoft quite categorically stating that you won't be able to do so after 30th June in reality you will. So they lied but it's actually done us XP lovers a favor so we're not going to complain.

PC manufacturers who have an inventory of unused XP licenses will still be able to sell machines with XP and the same also goes for other PC retailers as well who have surplus stock to sell.

Juggling Operating Systems

A second alternative method of getting XP on a new machine is through the peculiar practice of downgrade rights. In this way a PC manufacturer who has the permission of Microsoft through downgrade rights, can sell you a machine with XP installed on it. Technically this is done where the machine previously had Vista on it, but was then downgraded to Vista before it was sold

If this is the case, you'll be supplied with the discs for XP and it's drivers, as well as the same discs for Vista, so you can re-upgrade at a later date if you decide to. Dell have confirmed that they will make this option open to customers, but it only lasts out until January 31st next year.

'Limited Hardware Capabilities'

Another way that you can get your hands on XP is by purchasing a PC that has 'limited hardware capabilities,' a term Microsoft has coined for machines that cannot handle Vista. These are basic machines that do not have the processing power, laptops such as the Asus EEE for example, that run slow processors and have limited RAM. However, this is only until June 2010.

Not the End of the Road for XP

Windows XP still has many more years ahead of it, even if Microsoft wants everyone to upgrade to Vista or its successor. XP support is likely to extend well into the next decade allowing us enough time to get used to the idea.

About the Author

Kay Brenner is a PC utilities consultant who specializes in restoring your slow PC, saving you time and money wrestling with a sick computer. To reclaim your dream machine you first bought, download a free PC Check Up

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