On April 8, 2014, Microsoft ends support for Windows XP after more than 12 years of support. After April 8, Windows XP will continue to work. However, Microsoft will not be providing any updates that would protect you from malicious computer viruses. As a result, the Office of Information Technology (IT) suggests departments prepare to replace, retire, or upgrade computers still running Windows XP. Below are general guidelines to help your department make an informed decision.
Getting Started
Microsoft provides instructions to determine the Windows version running on your computer. To determine if your computer is running Windows XP, first click on the Start button in the lower left corner. If you see the “Run …” menu, click on it and and type in the command “winver” followed by the Enter key. If you don’t see the “Run …” menu, your PC is probably not running Windows XP.
Once you have confirmed that your PC is running Windows XP, we suggest one of three actions: replace, retire or upgrade. Based on the data stored on your Windows XP computer, we provide some additional guidance below. If you need specific guidance for your departmental PC, please contact the IT Helpdesk so we can assist.
Computers in Use with PHI/HIPAA Data
A computer still in use that holds protected health information (PHI) or HIPAA data is a candidate for an immediate upgrade or PC replacement. Departments are strongly encouraged to take action prior to the April 8 deadline to ensure your computer data is protected once Windows XP updates are no longer available. All anti-virus updates must be up to date to reduce the risk of computer viruses.
Computers in Use without PHI/HIPAA Data
A computer still in use that may hold sensitive or non-sensitive data is also a candidate for an upgrade or PC replacement. Departments are encouraged to take budgetary action to upgrade or replace the computer as soon as possible. All anti-virus updates must be up to date to reduce the risk of computer viruses.
Computers Not in Use
Just retire it. You may elect to remove the hard drive to keep for data archiving purposes and then salvage the computer. Either way, I don’t recommend upgrading or replacing a computer that is not in use. If nothing else is done, keep the computer turned off and disconnected from the network.
Further Assistance
When deciding to replace or upgrade a PC, we continue to see departments selecting Windows 7. Keep in mind that some laptops only support Windows 8 or higher, so when purchasing a new computer, select a model with the desired Windows version already installed.
If you need further assistance, please contact the IT Helpdesk at 662-915-5222 or helpdesk@olemiss.edu. Our office hours are Monday-Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM Central.
Tags: Computer, Equipment, Support, Windows XP