What do I need to do to prepare for the end of Windows XP support?
If you are still running Windows XP, then you will need to start planning to upgrade or migrate to a new operating system. In most cases, customers are running Windows XP on very old hardware which is no longer supported by the OEM who built the PC. Therefore, purchasing a new PC is generally required.
New PCs today are vastly superior to those sold in the Windows XP era. They are faster, lighter, and consume less power. There are also so many more options available than there were 10 years ago. There are desktops, notebooks, tablets, netbooks, ultrabooks, convertibles, all-in-ones, and many other types. The array of choices is incredible. Here is a tool from Microsoft to help you choose a new PC:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-au/windows/pc-selector?skipintro=true
Once you have chosen your new PC, you will need to transfer your data to the new machine. This process generally takes a number of hours to complete, depending on the amount of data you have on the Windows XP machine. If you are reasonably comfortable using a computer and you feel that you can handle this process on your own, I recommend you use a free tool from Microsoft called Easy Transfer. This tool gathers all of your files and settings from your old computer and compresses them into a single .MIG file. You can then transfer this file to your new computer and run Easy Tranfer again. It will unpack the .MIG file and put all of your files back in their proper location. Here is a URL to read more about Easy Transfer and how it works:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-AU/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer
You will also need to re-install your programs on your new PC. Some programs which used to run on Windows XP will work on a later version of Windows. Other programs will need to be upgraded to a newer version in order to work properly. Please consult your software vendor for specific instructions as each vendor will be a little bit different. The good news is that Windows 8 has been on the market for over a year now. So the likelihood of finding a compatible version of your software for Windows 8 is very high. The one major exception is if the software vendor is no longer in business or no longer providing updates for a program you are using on Windows XP. In that case, you may need to find an alternative piece of software which is compatible with Windows 8.
If you would like assistance choosing a new PC for home or work and tranferring your data to new system, please contact H Tech Solutions using the URL below for a free consultation.
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