I would like to move off of XP, but not sure to what? Help!

XP is a dead operating system, and it is time to let it go.

I highly recommend going to Windows 8.1, and upgrading to current whenever something new comes out.

Linux is my second choice, but I'm an old computer guys going all the way back to the forerunner of Unix called Multics in the early '60s. I have used every flavor of Unix under the sun (as senior systems engineer and lead Unix system administrator for a Federal agency well renowned for its technological prowess), and in my home I have two Linux boxes. Linux, however, involves a significant learning curve (which you might find enjoyable and educational but may not prove suitable for ongoing business usage). For me it is, well, my "native tongue," but my knowledge of it has been amassed over half a century. But despite that fact, for my day to day computer use I use, and like best, Windows 8.1.

IOS limits you to Apple products, and I strongly recommend against it. They are proprietary beyond reason, and really significantly overpriced at every performance level. Windows gives you myriad options in hardware, but Apple locks you into Apple.

I have found a few apps -- VERY few apps -- compatible with XP that won't run under 8.1, but I have found a lot more that will ONLY run on Windows 8 or above (including the high-end music composition and notation software Sibelius 7.5), and one of the chief reasons I advocate staying up-to-date on operating systems is to maintain compatibility with new software releases.

Windows 8.1 is a major improvement over Windows 8. Nearly every complaint has been answered and issue has been addressed. It is ultra stable and reliable, easy to customize to suit personal tastes, fast and light. This is really a very easy choice.

All my old XP office applications run fine on win7-32x. They did not run on the default OS 64x Windows.

So here is a solution for small businesses with multiple pcs:

1. First, never waste money on a new OS. Just get another computer. It is much cheaper in the long run.
2. Get refurb pcs with win7-32x. Out of the ten units we purchased, all have worked fine except one being noisier.
3. We have had good luck with Joy Systems and Arrow, through Rakuten.com (there is a 10% sale right now).
4. I recommend no less than a core 2 duo 2.9ghz with 4gb. I have purchased Dell 755 and 960 from Joy.
5. Lenovo thinkcentre m58p 3ghz core 2 duo 160gb 4096mb for $140 from Arrow at Rakuten.com was the best deal.
6. We use mostly desktops in my office but you can find similar Dell or Asus laptop refurb deals also.
7. You could replace the older HDs - but reliable and regular backup is a better option against data loss.

The lenovo boxes came with 64x installed. We installed generic 32x (downloaded from Microsoft - Google: w7-hp-32-x15-65732).

The key pasted on the box for 64x activated the 32x version also.
You could first download and try Win-7 32x to see if all your apps work with it.

I am sorry, but I still do not understand the big deal with continuing to run Windows XP if that is what your software requires and you don't want to upgrade your current software. However it would be very helpful if you would tell us the name and version of the software that you are using because you may have some other options:

1. If your software does not need an internet Connection then I would just continue using XP. Then maybe purchase another computer with Windows 7 or 8 for email and internet related activities. You could even start using Apple or Linux if you want for everything else accept the one application that requires XP.

2. Some software that will not run on Windows 7 64 bit or Windows 8.1 64 will sometimes run on the 32 bit version of Windows 7.

3. Many applications are very happy running in XP mode that can be installed on Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate.

4. Some older programs can be installed and run in Windows 7 using compatibility mode.

5. You might even be able to get by for a few years by using Windows Vista 32 ( again depending on the software.


If you must keep the current software and cannot upgrade it, then switching to a Mac or Linux is not going to do you much good without running Windows XP in some form of virtual mode and if you are going to do that you might as well just run XP on a PC.

Note: If want to continue using Windows XP, then make sure you are using a Windows XP compatible Security software and stop using Internet Explorer and use Google Chrome or Firefox for Internet Access.

Dana
Wayland Computer

Note: This post was edited by its original author to edit subject line on 08/15/2014 at 10:09 AM PT

If that computer positively CAN'T connect to the internet in ANY way, you are safe. The vulnerabilities of XP won't be exploitable without some kind of networking.
When I say in ANY way, I realy mean it. It don't mather if there are 1000 routers between that computer and the internet, it still connected to the internet. It should'nt even be connected to any computer that can connect to the internet in any way. So, NO network connectivity at all and you are safe and can continue using it untill it dies by itself.

When you say "I have at least one very expensive business program that wouldn't run at all on Windows 7", just how old is that programm? More than 5 years? 10 years? More?
If more that 5 years, pester the devloper for a more modern version that will run under windows 7 or 8.
If 10 years or more, or you can't get in touch with the devloper, or the devloper won't bother making a new version, bite the bullet and find a replacement. That piece of software, well past the end of it's life cycle, is now opelessly obsolete. This may also mean that you need new hardware.

Now, for your choice of operating system:
Windows, Linus, MacOS? In reality, it no longer realy mather as long as you get the functionalities that you need.
These days, most softwares are usualy available on most platforms.
No mather what OS you use, you absolutely need a good antivirus and anti-spyware. A software firewall is also recomended, but one is normaly included in a basic installation of the OS, and it's usualy good enough.

Regarding the compatibility isue of older softares, it's usualy not a real problem unless that software attempt or require to do things that are no longer permited by the OS for security or stability reasons. Some programms that refuse to work under Windows 7 and later can only be run with full administrative rights. That's foolish and should have been made undoable since Windows NT2.0 or even earlier. Most programms don't legitimately need that kind of permissions but many do require it for no good reasons. Some times, it's just the programmer that is lazy and find it easier to assume/demand administrative rights. Personaly, I still use some prety old programms, some dating way back to the mid 90's without any issues. Ok, those are mostly older games, at least one DOS based, screen savers and some small accessories, but they do work perfectly.

Hi Lynn

You're not the first person to have held on to a Windows OS because a Mission Critical Software (MCS) would not run properly on the next generation. Guess what? You won't be the last. The majority of the members thus far have given their opinions on how to make your MCS run on the available Windows OS's and variants such as Linux. There's not much I can add that would be a revelation over and above what has already been presented. Moving off XP may be a requirement. Therefore, I'm going to approach your question from a different angle.

Judging from your comments regarding your MCS I'm going to go out on a limb an guess it is a home-grown solution versus a canned program. Typically a canned program will offer updates to keep the software viable through various generations of an OS. Granted the updates may come at a cost but are typically less than buying the entire program. Home Grown solutions on the other hand are dependent upon the developer to keep them viable (over OS generations) an often require an entire re-write which can be costly and on occasion may not preserve the original data. Sometimes the developer for whatever reason may no longer be a viable resource to maintain the program.

Therefore, my suggestion is to invest in a reputable ERP, FMS and/or ECM program most of which can be tailored to your specific requirements by purchasing only the modules essential to your business. Much in the same way one purchases an APP but the components are more commonly called extensions, connectors or widgets. These programs are supported across OS generations and typically offer maintenance that can be purchased for a nominal fee for access to a new version when it is launched (not to be confused with updates which are generally free).

Below is an explanation of the acronyms just used and how they might positively impact one's business. Some of the information is cut/paste from other sources that I compiled for this post.

Enterprise Resource Planning - ERP

An ERP System automates and integrates core business processes such as taking customer orders, scheduling operations, and keeping inventory records and financial data. ERP systems can drive huge improvements in the effectiveness of any organization by:

- Assisting you in defining your business processes and ensuring they are complied with throughout the supply chain;
-Protecting your critical business data through well-defined roles and security access enabling you to plan your work load based on existing orders and forecasts
- Providing you with the tools to give a high level of service to your customers translating your data into decision making information
-Accounting
- Business Intelligence
-Customer Relationship Management
-Human Resources
-Inventory Management
-Manufacturing
-Supply Chain Management

File Management System (FMS)

A FMS is a type of software that manages data files in a computer system. It has limited capabilities and is designed to manage individual or group files, such as special office documents and records. It may display report details, like owner, creation date, state of completion and similar features useful in an office environment. The system may contain features like:

-Assigning queued document numbers for processing ?
-Owner and process mapping to track various stages of processing
-Report generation
-Notes
-Status
-Create, modify, copy, delete and other file operations

A FMS should not be confused with a file system, which manages all types of data and files in an Operating System (OS), or a database management system (DBMS), which has relational database capabilities and includes a programming language for further data manipulation.

Enterprise Content Management (ECM)

ECM is a set of defined processes that allow a corporation, agency or organization to obtain, organize, store and deliver information crucial to its operation in the most effective manner possible.

A primary goal of ECM is to eliminate ad hoc processes that can expose an organization to regulatory compliance risks and other potential problems. Full-function ECM systems include features such as document and records management, content taxonomies, auditing capabilities, check-in/check-out and other workflow controls and security mechanisms.

According to the Association for Information and Image Management (AIIM), ECM can be broken down into five major components called capture, manage, store, preserve and deliver. The purpose of each component can be briefly defined as follows:

-Capture: Create, obtain and organize information.
-Manage: Process, modify and employ information.
-Store: Temporarily back up frequently changing information in the short term.
-Preserve: Back up infrequently changing information in the medium and long term.
-Deliver: Provide clients and end users with requested information.

Lynn, there are numerous programs containing the feature set(s) available for small businesses....It just requires a little online research. I try not to mention specific programs in a post such as this to avoid one thinking that I have a vested interest. In this case I think its appropriate considering the amount of intell provided. Here's a program to consider just to get you started - DocStar.

Hopefully, you find this information useful. Good luck in your quest to decide upon a viable solution.

Together Everyone Achieve More (TEAM)



Note: This post was edited by its original author to change title of post on 08/13/2014 at 12:04 PM PT

I still believe that Win7-32x will run all XP compatible apps.
There is no need to be so complicated or confused.

Except for the benefit of having both 64x and 32x setups a virtual machine has several
limitations......For example, it is difficult if not impossible, to save an image of a virtual disk.

As I have explained above, you can purchase 32x with refurb pcs
or install it on a win7-64x pc you may have already.

You can download it from here:
http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/msvista/pub/X15-65732/X15-65732.iso

I was in a similar situation as you and setup a fine solution several months ago. I bought a new PC with Windows 7 last year and soon found that just a few of my programs work better or only under XP. Following advice of various configurations did not work. I could not get Virtual Machine software to work properly, but maybe that was just me.
Since I use Acronis backup software I decided to try their OS Selector program to have both Win7 and XP on different drives. I'll tell you that it works very nice. It's practically like having 2-in-1 PCs. Switch between the 2 OSes with a simple restart. Although I was initially nervous about installing a second OS within my multi-drive system, there was no difficulty in doing so and I'm glad that I have them both.

Windows 8.1 is the ticket. I was skeptical, but have encouraged Win8. Then soon after Windows 8.1 came. It's the best, either with a mouse or touch. Far less system resources, almost like WinXP or Win7, and much less hastle. Those that have criticized it are wrong. I have used it and know just how easy and friendly and better it is.

there is a new download of Ubuntu 14 avalible now --have not tried it but it is in the works
-also other stuff from the web sight -i have not got of wp yet --got to get my stuff of it first and i dont know how to make a 1 pass backup dont have same size hdd -so i have to do it the hard way
all i can say is got to the web sight and see what it says -have not been on it for 3 months now

Why, because you have an old program that works on XP. If you couldn't bring it to Windows 7, you probably can't bring it to any new system. If you Google the term "problems with using XP in a Virtual system" You will probably find it that it is not much safer. I know I have read a lot of articles along the way about the dangers of using XP in any environment that touches the internet.

That is the line from an ad I saw in a computer magazine several years back. It had a picture of some gigantic land yacht of a boat car from the 1970's. If it had been any longer, it would have been a limo! I thought that was a creative ad and it sticks in my mind to this day. Windows XP is now that gas guzzling clunker!

Windows XP is dated and now it is dead. Running virtual XP under Windows 7 is also a risk if you are online as there are no more updates for that. I have seen people spend a fortune to keep some old XP machine going because of similar software. In most cases, there is a modern version that can import the data files from the old version and perform the same task, or better. Odds are this software is from the Windows 3.1 or 95/98 days at the very latest. It is unusual to see any Windows 2000 or even XP software refuse to run in Windows 7 or 8, especially in compatibility mode. I have seen this with some really old programs though.

If you absolutely have to use WIndows XP, I suggest not even trying to use the PC online. This is just a risk. Buy another PC and leave this one disconnected from the Internet. Virtual Box is another good suggestion. Again, getting something like this to work will just become more complicated, time consuming, and costly with time. Now is the time to upgrade. Try to find one that will import the data files and hopefully one with a big name that will be around for many years to come.

Windows 8/8.1 is not as bad as it has been made out to be. The under the hood parts are great. The interface is intolerable! The good news is that the Classic Shell app suggested by someone else does a great job of making it look like good 'ole Windows 7 or even XP if you like. Classic Shell is free and does a very good job. Something along these lines is required in order to not hate Windows 8/8.1 if you ask me. That being said, the under the hood stuff is efficient and stable when compared to previous versions of Windows.

Microsoft just churn out new operating systems to make money, not only with the OS but all
the subsidiary programs that run on them.
You can put up enough barriers to keep the kiddies out, eg Firewall. antivirus, Malwarebytes. Ccleaner,
and run quite happily. You won't be plagued by the astronomical updates and bloat that the new OSs bring in..

I don't see where anyone has mentioned this but Windows has a compatibility mode you can set so a program will think it's running under a different version of windows than it really is. You simply find the program in "ALL Programs", right click on it and select "Properties". There is a tab on properties named "Compatibility". Open that tab and select the OS version the program will run under then save it. When you run the program it thinks it's running in the environment it likes. The is no guarantee your program will run in compatibility but there is a good chance. My stepson was having this issue on his work computer. They upgraded the computers and then the manufacturing software wouldn't run. I walked him through putting it into compatibility mode and the program executed in the updated OS. Good luck! I hope it works for you!

My advise is to keep your existing computer with XP and to use it for your old business software. Then buy a new computer with the newest Microsoft operating system for your internet usage. This will probably be cheaper than getting an Apple, more familiar to you, and will give you higher security and likely no viruses (unless one sneaks on from a flash drive or the like) on your old computer. The best security is not being connected to the internet. The have an older Dell with XP for my photo and video editing, and bought a cheap used Dell with Vista mostly for sending emails and surfing the internet. My computers are not even networked together, so I fel secure with my old Dell remaining on XP. This works best if you are able to use your existing Microsoft Office on a second or third computr without having to buy it again. Good luck!

I have a "dual boot" system but it's set up way different from most dual boot systems. If you don't need to run the specialty program constantly, just do this:

Buy a new drive. Unplug your old drive (leave it physically installed), hook up the new drive, and install the newer version of Windows. Do all the updates, etc.

(By the way, Win 8 runs almost identical to Win 7 if you install the free Classic Shell Menu or one of the other menu programs. I never use the "modern" interface and routinely forget whether I'm running 7 or 8, since they're both on the same box.)

Then reconnect your old drive. When you boot or reboot the machine, enter Setup (usually by pressing Del or F2 or F12, depending on the brand). Select which drive you want to be the boot drive, Save your selection, and Exit --which will cause the machine to reboot. To switch to the other operating system, just reboot and set the other drive as the boot drive.

No problems with screwed up multi-bootloaders, etc. That's why when you first install the new Windows the old drive can't be hooked up.

What if you want to use an upgrade copy of Windows? Clone the XP drive, disconnect the original, boot the clone, and then run the upgrade on the clone. When the upgrade is done, reconnect the original drive.

Lynn E. - We have converted many computers from XP to Windows 7 and the only problem ever encountered was when a Visoneer Scanner (really old one) would not install with the 64bit version of Windows 7 Professional - the problem was solved by using the virtual edition of XP and installing with that. The user did not like messing with the Virtual Version of XP so we installed the 32bit verson of Windows 7 Professional and it installed perfectly after directing the computer to look at the DVD for the driver. (we probably lost a little performance by doing that but it was not noticeable) If you are using an older computer it probably is a 32bit machine and it will work just fine with a 32 bit version of Windows 7. When installing Windows 7 on the older machines always put in a new larger Hard Disk Drive, a new BIOS battery and max out the memory. Windows 7 even has the courtesy to ask if the program should be reinstalled with the proper settings if a program fails to install the first time.

Despite all the hype and the misleading info put out by Microsoft about the hardware required to run Windows 7 or 8, PLEASE consider replacing your computers. I know that sounds onerous and expensive, but the in-place upgrade is fraught with issues, including the fact that once you've gotten the new shiny Windows installed, your system runs like a slug. If you are in the metro Boston area, please contact me. I can sell you a very good refurb quad core with 8GB of memory and Windows 7 for $300 or less.

To me, whether it's a laptop or a desktop computer, a minimum of a dual core processor (not just hyperthreaded) and 4GB of memory is the minimum needed to run Win 7 comfortably. As for disk requirements, I have installed Win 7 on systems with as little as 128GB, but for very limited purposes. Hard drives are inexpensive, so maybe a 500GB drive?

You also need to check licensing of software currently running, and install the virtual XP environment for that older software that does not run under native Windows 7 (or .

If you opt for Windows 8.1, and the way it works with its (finally a) start button is not agreeable to you, install ClassicShell to make the Win 8 environment look more like XP.