Windows XP, undoubtedly, has been serving the users globally for so many years. In fact, people across the globe still use this obsolete version of Windows, as it has been incredibly faster, user-friendly, and most importantly, occupying lesser drive space, but offering high performance when it comes to install and run large applications.
If we look at the statistics, Windows XP is the operating system that gathered the most significant number of users all over the world. This attests the popularity and reliability of Windows XP.
One of the key reasons for Windows XP being the most famous in the vast series of Windows operating systems is the support offered by Microsoft Inc. Based on which Windows XP was released in three Service Packs, each of which got enough popularity. I guess! Things will no longer be same as they were earlier, as Microsoft has officially declared that no further support will be provided for Windows XP from April 2014.
Will this be the end of the legendary lifespan of Microsoft Windows XP? Will the users migrate from Windows XP to a newer platform like Windows 7 or Windows 8?
Well, let us see what happens next.
Is it a Marketing Strategy?
Since Microsoft is no longer going to provide support for Windows XP by the April 2014, it is indeed for the company if the users switch to a later version of Windows OS. In fact, they have to migrate immediately to avoid the risks of corruption, data loss scenarios, security threats, and many more issues.
Is it a marketing strategy of Microsoft to sell a large number of copies of their newer versions of OSes? Is the company intentionally making the users switch to the newer platform? I must say, Microsoft, no doubt, is going to make big money if more and more XP users migrate to Windows 7 or a later version.
If we see, the strategy Microsoft is implementing is pretty good to make the most of something that was supposed to be a dead a long time ago, no matter what the intentions behind making people upgrade are. Though Windows XP no longer makes money for Microsoft, this official announcement will surely insist on people to spend money and purchase the security means for their precious data.
What can be the Threats?
When it comes to getting a bad machine repaired, you only call up the related experts, share the issues coming across, and expect the experts to fix them for you. In fact, this is a formal process to get the issues encountered in a machine fixed. However, what in case, the experts fail to help you? You might no longer be able to use that machine.
Likewise, since computers are also machines and come across different issues, you might often have to call the experts to fix the issues. You too sometimes try to fix them on your own. However, in case, the problems are a bit complex and you do not even get the experts, it may eventually lead to system failure and cause data loss.
Data is the crucial thing saved on the computer and any issue when goes out of control may result in a data loss scenario. Luckily, Windows data recovery tools are available to help you regain it intact, which is subject to the type and extent of corruption.
Additional Risks
With the end of Microsoft’s support for Windows XP, those who still use it must plan the right time for migration to a newer platform. Or else, issues causing troubles while working on a crucial project might not be in your favor. For instance, sudden system restart or unexpected BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) may cause undesired changes in the project.
You might even lose the project files or get them fully corrupt in the worst case. In such a situation, your computer becomes vulnerable to virus attacks, malware infections, and many like threats might be there attacking the data stored on it.
The situation also invites intruders to get into your system and find the crucial information. Once they get into your system, they scan it through for valuable information like banking transactions details, social and professional accounts login credentials, and more, which leads to personal and professional information theft and the related data being in unauthorized hands.
The Bottom Line
Since Microsoft has officially announced the support for Windows XP is going to end by April 2014, being wise take the decision to migrate to a newer Windows platform along with your data. Otherwise, you never know what happens in the next moment. Even a minor issue can cause corruption in the system and lead to data loss that is not at all acceptable.
Though Windows data recovery tools are available, choosing a better and reliable platform is certainly a wise decision.