Microsoft to End Support for these Windows Versions
All good things come to an end they say. Well, that certainly holds true for some Windows versions that will see the end of their lifecycle soon. As Microsoft explained, it will soon pull support for several versions of the Windows operating system.
Lets start with Windows 7 – the Release Candidate, not the final version that Microsoft says is the “fastest selling operating system in history.” We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: you need to let go of Windows 7 RC. If you’ve ignored the notifications that started to appear on the 15th of February, you need to pay attention now. Because starting with the 1st of March (which is two days from now) the operating system will start to shut down every two hours. If the computer shuts down while you’re working on something, your work will NOT be saved.
These bi-hourly shutdowns will continue until the 1st of June – this is when Windows 7 RC will really expire. Your wallpaper will be removed and the text “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will be displayed in the right hand corner of the screen. And the plug will be pulled on optional updates or downloads that require genuine Windows validation.
Moving on from Windows 7 to Windows Vista, you should know that Microsoft will stop supporting the RTM version of the operating system as of April the 13th. The RTM version is the one with no service pack. You are advised to fire up Windows Update and upgrade. You’ll first need to get Service Pack 1; then if you want (and you should) you can get Service Pack 2.
Moving even further down the line, Windows XP SP2 will no longer be supported as of July the 13th. Just like with Vista, you should use Windows Update to get XP Service Pack 3. Or you can grab the latest service pack via the Microsoft Update website.
On July 13th Microsoft will also pull support for all Windows 2000 versions. If you are currently using Windows 2000, it is time to upgrade to something newer.
“Keeping your PC up to date and as safe as possible is something that people need to think about beyond just being on the latest service pack. I want to remind everyone of the benefits of keeping Windows Update turned on. Through Windows Update, not only are you provided with the latest security updates and service packs for Windows at no cost, but also the latest updates to products such as Internet Explorer 8 and Microsoft Security Essentials,” commented Windows Communications Manager with Microsoft, Brandon LeBlanc.
Let’s do a quick recap:
Lets start with Windows 7 – the Release Candidate, not the final version that Microsoft says is the “fastest selling operating system in history.” We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: you need to let go of Windows 7 RC. If you’ve ignored the notifications that started to appear on the 15th of February, you need to pay attention now. Because starting with the 1st of March (which is two days from now) the operating system will start to shut down every two hours. If the computer shuts down while you’re working on something, your work will NOT be saved.
These bi-hourly shutdowns will continue until the 1st of June – this is when Windows 7 RC will really expire. Your wallpaper will be removed and the text “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will be displayed in the right hand corner of the screen. And the plug will be pulled on optional updates or downloads that require genuine Windows validation.
Moving on from Windows 7 to Windows Vista, you should know that Microsoft will stop supporting the RTM version of the operating system as of April the 13th. The RTM version is the one with no service pack. You are advised to fire up Windows Update and upgrade. You’ll first need to get Service Pack 1; then if you want (and you should) you can get Service Pack 2.
Moving even further down the line, Windows XP SP2 will no longer be supported as of July the 13th. Just like with Vista, you should use Windows Update to get XP Service Pack 3. Or you can grab the latest service pack via the Microsoft Update website.
On July 13th Microsoft will also pull support for all Windows 2000 versions. If you are currently using Windows 2000, it is time to upgrade to something newer.
“Keeping your PC up to date and as safe as possible is something that people need to think about beyond just being on the latest service pack. I want to remind everyone of the benefits of keeping Windows Update turned on. Through Windows Update, not only are you provided with the latest security updates and service packs for Windows at no cost, but also the latest updates to products such as Internet Explorer 8 and Microsoft Security Essentials,” commented Windows Communications Manager with Microsoft, Brandon LeBlanc.
Let’s do a quick recap:
- Windows 7 RC – bi-hourly shutdowns on March 1, expires on June 1.
- Windows Vista RTM– expires on April 13.
- Windows XP SP2 – expires on July 13.
- Windows 2000 – all versions expire on July 13.
