XP SP2 Dies in 2 Months - July 13, 2010

[Starbuck]

Time to start your upgrades.

 

There are now less than two months left until Microsoft will officially pull the plug on Windows XP Service Pack 2. Come July 13th, 2010, the second service pack for XP will reach the end of support, a point after which Microsoft will no longer offer any updates for the operating system version, or any sort of assistance in resolving issues affecting the product. This doesn’t mean the end of Windows XP, however. Customers running XP SP3 will be able to continue running the platform until 2014, at which point Extended support for XP as a whole will expire.

 

“I want to remind you that support for Windows XP SP2 ends July 13, 2010. If you or your customers stay on Windows XP we will still provide updates for Windows XP SP3. Let’s check out our lifecycle support page to understand how long Microsoft will support SP3, and Windows XP as a whole,” Microsoft’s Rob Waggoner noted.

 

Customers do have a few choices at their disposal. If they are keen on ridding XP for all it’s got, they will need to upgrade to SP3 as soon as possible. In the eventuality that they are considering software/hardware upgrades, they should opt for Windows 7, despite the fact that Windows Vista SP2 continues to remain an option. Windows 7 is simply a superior choice, no question about it.

 

I also want to clarify an aspect related to the future evolution of XP, in the sense that there’s not going to be one. I recently received a question regarding a potential Service Pack 4 (SP4) release for XP. There isn’t going to be one. SP3 was the last service pack for 32-bit (x86) XP, and SP2 was the last upgrade for 64-bit (x64) XP.

 

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) Final is available for download from: Windows XP Service Pack 3 Download - Softpedia

 

 

Source:

XP SP2 Dies in 2 Months - July 13, 2010 - Start your upgrades - Softpedia

[Plastic Nev]

Although the support will finish, in other words there will be no further updates or system patches issued for XP SP2, it doesn't mean it will stop working.

If anyone wants to stay with using XP SP2 without installing the upgrade to SP3, Then we do recommend making sure you have good security installed if you wish to continue using XP SP2 on line after the closing date.

We will give advice about which security to install if asked.

Nev.