Windows XP Countdown Timer Won't Work WIth Windows XP

[Andy Chalk]

Windows XP Countdown Timer Won't Work WIth Windows XP

Microsoft's new "Windows XP End of Support" countdown timer suffers from just one tiny little flaw: It doesn't work with Windows XP.

Support for the venerable Windows XP operating system is due to come to an end on April 8, 2014. This may come as a shock to some of you who, like me, are still rocking the Best Windows Ever, but the reality is that it's already a decade old and that's positively ancient as far as Microsoft operating systems go. Even though Windows 7 has been on the market for well over a year, most PC gamers haven't really felt the upgrade pinch yet. But it's coming.

As a friendly reminder of the need to get with the times, Microsoft has released a handy-dandy Windows XP End of Support Countdown Gadget [http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=53a27766-0168-4617-b44e-74b2886cec6d] that ticks off the days to its final, sad demise. There's even a link provided that offers "guidance and free tools to help you migrate to Windows 7." Useful stuff for sure, unless you happen to actually be using Windows XP, in which case you can't use it at all.

That's right: the official Windows XP countdown timer isn't supported by Windows XP.

Am I missing something here? My initial impression was that this "gadget" was meant to tell us throwbacks that we only have 1.76 years left to upgrade to Windows 7 but now I'm thinking that it must be something else. Is it some kind of "gloat-ware" for Vista and 7 owners to look at while they cackle at those of us who continue to cling, caveman-like, to our old technology? Is it a ploy by Microsoft to lure us toward the current-gen OS by dangling cool stuff in front of us and then - whoops! - yoinking it away? Or is somebody in Redmond just jerking us around for the lulz?

Whatever it is, I'll tell you this: you can have my Windows XP when you pry it from my cold, dead hands! Or, you know, on April 7, 2014. Whichever comes first.

Source: I Programmer [http://www.i-programmer.info/news/126-os/2338-microsoft-counts-down-to-xp-death.html]


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[FoolKiller]

well I for one will be sad. Too many older games are not compatible or have issues with Windows 7 that I want xp to still run.

 

[Danpascooch]

Wouldn't most PC gamers get a whole new rig within the 4 years between the debut of Win7 and the end of support? If so, why wouldn't they get Win7? Yeah Vista was a disaster, but I'm very satisfied with Windows 7, hell, it's almost worth it just for the ability to drag a window to the side of the screen and have it automatically fill exactly that half of the screen, I use that all the time

Even if they still have Windows XP when it expires, who really cares? Seriously, since when has anyone tech savvy enough to know and care about this timer ever been helped by Microsoft support, Google is the best support line, for anything, by far.

EDIT: Oh right, the OP, lol. Yeah I think it's a hilarious facepalm moment that it doesn't work for XP

 

[standokan]

Does this count as irony?

 

[The Cake Is Annoying]

I hope the guys writing Ubuntu get right on this, release an FOSS, working countdown timer for XP and suggest out that maybe it'd be worth giving linux a try since even Microsoft can't get their software to support their own operating system - after what, 10 years?

Not trying to antagonise the PC gamers here. You guys are fine by me, its because of you and economies of scale I can easily afford a graphics card for rendering stuff in CAD programs that Pixar could only fantasise about when they started up and made Toy Story.

I just wish that Microsoft would lose some of the "office worker's computers" market share so they'd have to raise their quality control or face actual consequences, y'know? Way I see it it'd be win-win. MS make better standard of software, Crysis 3 runs on a computer that hasn't crashed once on you, MS build their brand without everyone laughing at their quality. Linux gets more acceptance and the overall better security means less database breaches and identity theft scare stories.

 

[THE_NAMSU]

to be honest, the countdown timer it self is useless, so who cares if it doesn't work for XP.
I have Vista (yeah shut up) at the moment. I don't like XP ever since vista became default on new laptops, it just seems too old. Don't get why everybody hates vista, is vista crap with games or something? (not pc gamer)

 

[night_chrono]

well I for one will be sad. Too many older games are not compatible or have issues with Windows 7 that I want xp to still run.

Most of my old game problems have been solved by just running in compatibility mode. For those that don't work by doing that you always have the option of running a virtual environment.


*EDIT*

to be honest, the countdown timer it self is useless, so who cares if it doesn't work for XP.
I have Vista (yeah shut up) at the moment. I don't like XP ever since vista became default on new laptops, it just seems too old. Don't get why everybody hates vista, is vista crap with games or something? (not pc gamer)

Vista was a bit of a system hog, and it had some minor issues when it first came out, but that's par for the course with a new operating system. However it wasn't a bad operating system. Everyone likes to blame Microsoft because they couldn't understand why their $400 Dell/HP from 2001 couldn't run it.

 

[Worgen]

I was a bit skeptical when I left xp but so far Im really liking 7, its faster, I can run new dx versions so my games can be prettier and so far I havent had any tech problems with it.... aside from a few weird things getting steam to work but I think thats because Im basicly using my old steam install, all my old games are on my storage drive so Im not really reinstalling them.

over all, yeah, go to 7, the only down side is that its not at its hardware limit like xp is so you will have to think about future upgrades to your hardware at some point

 

[-Dragmire-]

It's for everyone else to watch your slowly sinking ship. She was a good ship, we will remember her fondly...

 

[bladester1]

It is longer than 1.76 years till 2014. We still have all of 2012 and 13. Did you mean 2.76?

Why would they make a gadget when XP does not do gadgets?

 

[Irridium]

Its Microsoft, of course they'd screw up something so stupidly simple.

 

[Plinglebob]

This may come as a shock to some of you who, like me, are still rocking the Best Windows Ever,

Sorry, but for me nothing will beat Windows 3.1

 

[Tulks]

It is longer than 1.76 years till 2014. We still have all of 2012 and 13. Did you mean 2.76?

Closer to 2.96, no? Or perhaps there's a new Win version, superseding Seven, due out in 1.76 years...

Edit: Damn you, ninjaaaa!

 

[Zipa]

XP was a great OS in its day but now its time for it to retire. 7 is far far better in every way. Networking sucks big time on XP.

 

[gigastar]

Ill probably upgrade to 7 whenever im bothered to replace my quite venerable and increasingly unstable laptop. Also, for the record, I use Vista.

 

[Proverbial Jon]

I have windows 7 on my main PC and XP on my netbook but I'll always prefer XP. 7 was all flashy and nice when I first got it, but essentially it hasn't really changed all that much. It's just a patch used to fix up the simply appalling Vista, what a joke THAT was!

Long live XP! (Or not, as the case may be) Meh, my XP will still run, even without their obviously flawed updates.

Also, for the record, I use Vista.

My condolences.

 

[The Cake Is Annoying]

I hope the guys writing Ubuntu get right on this, release an FOSS, working countdown timer for XP and suggest out that maybe it'd be worth giving linux a try since even Microsoft can't get their software to support their own operating system.

You're...not going to want the latest Ubuntu. Without spoilers from the beta (which is a beta after all) the new interface is made of horror and a fair amount of fail.

As it is now I'm still using 10.04 LTS since I'm a newbie. I believe you completely though, I think some of the UI design is going in a bad direction: Ubuntu had a distinct, African feel to it, which at first I hated... for about an hour. After that I thought it had a stronger brand feel to it than OS X or XP (the elephant skin texture I think is one of the best choices of packaged bgs for an OS I've ever seen). Ever since then much of it feels like a dilution.