Windows XP Support

Artikel
04/17/2009

One of the conversations I most commonly have with customers and Partners alike is around Windows 7, Windows Vista and Windows XP. The conversation tends to be around when is Windows 7 coming out and what will the support be for those still on Windows XP. As I have posted in the past, there is a path and method for moving from XP.

There also needs to be accurate information as to why it will be important for customers to move from Windows XP at some point soon to either Windows Vista or more likely Windows 7. A lot of organizations currently on Windows XP will love the new interface, ease of use, and increased security that Windows 7 provides but he biggest driver for most organizations will be the looming end of mainstream support for Windows XP.

Below are some excepts around the support for Windows XP communications.

"It’s important to remind customers that Microsoft are still planning to retire XP Pro Mainstream support on April 14th 2009 and will only provide OS security updates beyond that date unless the customer has an Extended Hotfix Support contract. MS Extended Support for XP Pro ends on April 8th 2014."

It's more important to get the facts straight. XP will get SECURITY patches all the way though to 2014. It just won't provide operating hotfixes after April 14, 2009. Don't get security and hotfixes confused. Security fixes are specific patches to fix ... well obviously security issues. Hotfixes are fixes for non security issues, say some feature doesn't work as it should, you would need an extended hotfix support contract to get Microsoft to fix it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_XP

Support for Windows XP without a service pack ended on 30 September 2004^[61] and support for Windows XP Service Pack 1 and 1a ended on 10 October 2006.^[62][63]

Windows XP Service Pack 2 will be retired on 13 July 2010, almost six years after its general availability.^[2] As per Microsoft's posted timetable, the company stopped general licensing of Windows XP to OEMs and terminated retail sales of the operating system on 30 June 2008, 17 months after the release of Windows Vista.^[64][65] However, an exception was announced on 3 April 2008, for OEMs installing to ultra low-cost PCs ( ULCPCs ) either until 30 June 2010, or one year after the availability of the next client version of Windows, Windows 7 —whichever date comes later.^[66][67][68]

On 14 April 2009, Windows XP will begin its "Extended Support" period that will last for 5 years until 8 April 2014.^[2]

3. What is the difference between Mainstream Support, Extended Support, and online self-help support?

Support provided	Mainstream Support phase	Extended Support phase
Paid support (per-incident, per hour, and others)	X	X
Security update support	X	X
Non-security hotfix support	X	Requires extended hotfix agreement, purchased within 90 days of mainstream support ending.
No-charge incident support	X
Warranty claims	X
Design changes and feature requests	X
Product-specific information that is available by using the online Microsoft Knowledge Base	X	X
Product-specific information that is available by using the Support site at Microsoft Help and Support to find answers to technical questions	X	X