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Anyone still using Windows XP as main OS?


Stefan43

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Hello,

 

Does anyone on MSFN still use Windows XP as main OS? If yes, did you experience any problems with hacks after the EOL of Windows XP? And do you still use Internet Explorer 8?

Edited by Stefan43
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  1. Using Xp is one thing (good :)).
  2. Hacks (WHICH ONES?) are another, if you refer to the POSReady updates, there is a thread here: http://www.msfn.org/board/topic/171814-posready-2009-updates-ported-to-windows-xp-sp3-enu/
  3. Using Internet Explorer 8 is yet another thing (bad :().

Actual answers are:

  1. Yes.
  2. No.
  3. No.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/jonathan.deboynepollard/FGA/questions-with-yes-or-no-answers.html

 

jaclaz

Edited by jaclaz
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I honestly haven't used XP in such a long time. I do still use Windows 2000 as my main machine and never experienced any issues whatsoever. However, since XP is a bit more mainstream, that might be a bit different. I think this whole MS apocalypse was just ridiculous though. It's not like right after the last patch Tuesday, a million exploits were just waiting to be hacked into because they weren't patched. I really don't think XP is any less secure than it was 4-5 years ago. That's just my opinion though.

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@jaclaz: So much trololo :P

Yes, I do use XP hme witth POSReady updates nd encounter no problems. So If you use it and you're worried about safety... just don't. Properly set up Is will keep you safe. I tried to follow the "apocalypse" topic and haven't read about any unpached critical vounerability in XP so far.

No, I never used IE8. I quit after IE6, then I went Firefox and never back.

@up Opera? :P

Edited by Mcinwwl
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1. Yes, Windows XP is main OS on my system (Intel X58/Core i7 XE 965 3.2GHz/EVGA GTX285FTW/3*1Gb RAM 1866MHz Triple Channel/1Tb+2Tb+2Tb HDDs).

2. No, I haven't any problems so far. All latest POSReady updates installed, of course.

3. No. Internet Explorer 6 is the only option for me because my router's web interface only works under IE6. For web serfing I am using Mozilla Firefox 38.0.1

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1. Yes: XPx64 as main OS (with Win2003x64 updates), XPx86 for testing with POSReady updates.

2. No problems with either.

3. Same as dencorso, so I can't advise on alternate browsers.

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TL/DR: Yes. No. No.

I am using Windows XP Service Pack 1 on my somewhat aged Conroe-class computer, which, believe or not, serves and my main computer, and XP with SP3 on my other computer based on the Intel B75 platform. I do not feel a need to update these systems, which are stable, and I do not intend to load any more post-SP3 updates on new Windows installations if/when I make them, unless there is a specific problem that can be solved by replacing one or a few system files. Loading numerous updates onto a customized installation with 3rd party components (drivers) is asking for trouble. It may be that an update fixes what Microsoft perceives to be a defect or vulnerability, but which isn't one actually (like the half-open connections limit).

If a service pack, analogous to the Unofficial Service Pack for Windows 98SE, gets released, I'll give that a try. I do not intend to install any update that brings Microsoft bloatware components like MSIE, WMP or Net Framework, which are not need most of the time, and would defeat the purpose of using WinXP in the first place, a systme with small footprint on disk and memory. It would be awesome to have a universal "big hard drive" patch or USB3 drivers (which I do not have on my B75 system).

So far I have not had much trouble using recent software on my systems. Most programs do nowadays require at least SP2 and sometimes SP3. But I always try to use the oldest version that still satisfies my requirements, as they tend to use less memory. When downloading software, I look over the version archive, paying attention to when the installation package has significantly increased in size. If I don't see a solid, practical justification for it, I get the previous version, which is usually compatible with more OS versions, old or new. Some software still have separate XP builds, or alternate builds with a lower version of MSVC. I get those. They work just fine on Vista/Seven usually.

Older versions often get pulled from author's web sites or made very difficult to locate. Whenever I download an installation package, I always save it to disk, renamed with the full title of the product, its version and required platform (Win2k, XPSP2, etc.)

For example, WinMTR (Matt's traceroute) v0.8 - 262,144 bytes, WinMTR v0.92 - 1,783,296 bytes. Improvements: advertisement for AppNor, requires XP SP2 or later.

As for browsers, I use Opera 12.11, Firefox 27, and Opera 19 (rebranded Chromium -> "Opium"). Firefox and Opium have since been updated, but so far most sites that I need work just fine in these older browsers. What is a major version of those browsers today, is actualy a minor point-release. There are only 2 browsers to choose from today: Firefox and Chromium. Each have several flavors with mostly superficial differences, which are a matter of taste. Opium doesn't embed itself as deeply into the system as Google Chrome does. The installation package can be completely downloaded, and automatic updates can be disabled. Opera used to be a separate browser until last year, but was discontinued. I will continue using Opera's POP3 mail client.

I haven't seriously used Internet Explorer past version 6. My XP systems have MSIE6 installed. Some CHM help files appear broken with this version, as do other software with embedded web content. But software that loads "media-rich" webpages onto its interface is usually replaced with faster, more stable secure alternatives.

To access my MikroTik router I use its "proprietary" Windows GUI "Winbox" or the telnet client included with it. The version I have installed right now (6.10) runs on Windows 98 just fine, except that its icons with alpha channel show corrupted. But it's possible to use an old computer to manage routers in an imergency. This beats the "cross-platformness" of most Web UIs.

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Ok. Do you know a safe browser to replace Internet Explorer 8? No Firefox and Chrome please.

There is definitely no shortage of browsers for Windows XP. At least for now, you can expect pretty much anything that runs on the latest versions of Windows to run on XP. One that I've taken a liking to is K-Meleon. It's a Gecko-based browser with a hugely customizable user interface and is much faster than Firefox, but lacks a few features. Opera is a great one I've used before. It's basically like a faster version of Chrome. Some lesser-known browsers that are available are SeaMonkey, Midori, QupZilla, QtWeb, Pale Moon, and Maxthon.

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After some dabbling with win 7, I'm using XP sp3 right now as my main system OS.  I don't plan to mess with the POS updates after doing some prior experimentation and gettng strange responses from avast, as long as I can get a current firewall/antivirus program to work on my system, I don't feel poorly defended.  I don't bother with any version of internet explorer, just SeaMonkey with adblock/no script.

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Answers: Yes. No. Yes.

 

I really don't have a main computer, I have several, most of which are running XP x86 or x64 with the POSReady and Server 2003 updates respectively. No issues on this front, yet.

 

I still use Internet Explorer 7 and 8. Call me crazy, but I really like them. Much more than I like Google Chrome at least. IE7 and 8 both can render this forum properly, IE7 does mess some stuff up. Internet Explorer 8 has a fantastic UI. Why has nobody else implemented colour-coded group tabs. That was a great idea! Unfortunately, getting IE9 and upwards installed and running on XP is something that probably won't happen, at least not until there's a lot interest in the idea, which there probably never will be. I don't see that as a bad thing though, the UI in the new versions of Internet Explorer is just asinine.

 

I use Pale Moon as my main browser. I was holding onto Firefox 28.0 because it was the last version before the UI change. But Pale Moon's nice because it still has the old UI, plus I prefer the blue moon logo to the orange Firefox logo.

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Hmmmm - I really have to say that Internet Explorer improved vastly after version 9.  The new interface is quite sleek actually.  I set up Pale Moon with the FoxE9 add on, so I can mimic the look.  But IE performance is quite good in 11.

 

I actually liked 7, as it ran well on XP, but ran very badly on Vista (for which it was originally designed...lol).  It doesn't render a lot properly now (although using it with Google Chrome Frame helps a bit).  I like IE 7 when used with the classic desktop.

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Compatibility-wise, Internet Explorer definitely has improved a lot. I just think that Microsoft could've come up with something much better for a UI. I don't like how tabs are on the same row as the address bar, and the bar with the yellow stripe that appears at the bottom. That's completely the wrong place for it. The older UI for downloading files was much better. Plus the whole thing looks totally goofy with the classic theme.

 

I also dislike how Microsoft removed the Internet Explorer Maintenance set of group policy objects with Internet Explorer 10.

 

The Google Chrome Frame is pretty fun to experiment with, but it makes Internet Explorer incredibly inefficient. IE7 looks really nice on XP with Luna, for anything with the classic theme, I prefer IE8.

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