(Logo courtesy Microsoft Corp.)
After Windows XP ceases to be supported by Microsoft in May 2014, owners of computers with Windows XP operating system will have two options:
1. Purchase a new computer with Windows 8 or even Windows 9, if released by then, at significant cost.
2. Using the following low-cost procedure proposed by Andy MM0FMF to continue to use your existing computer with Win-XP but only off-line (for safety) for Win-XP applications that you really want to use, while switching to the Linus operating system for all on-line applications and new applications.
Linux Mint Maya (Supported to April 2017)
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Use 64bit if your CPU has 64bit support
32 bit version: http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=113
64 bit version: http://www.linuxmint.com/edition.php?id=114
VMware Player
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Select 64bit if you downloaded 64bit Linux Mint Maya other wise select 32bit
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/free#desktop_end_user_computing/vmware_player/5_0
Instructions
============
1. Backup your existing disk. You will lose anything not backed up as the
installation of Linux will wipe the disk.
2. Download a flavour of Mint for your PC and burn it to a disk.
3. Boot the Mint disk. Wait a few minutes and Linux will boot from the
CD/DVD. You can experiment with Linux and try many features without
installing it or deleting anything from your existing Windows XP setup.
Check that all your hard works (network, graphics, mouse, Wifi etc.) If
something doesn’t seem right, there will be a solution on Google. So if
the touch pad doesn’t work right on a your Compaq 9110 laptop you could
search for something like “Linux Mint Touch Pad Compaq 9110 problem” and
see how you fix it.
4. Click and the desktop icon that will install Linux permanently.
5. When the install is finished, remove the CD/DVD and reboot. Linux
should work but much faster than when you tried it running from CD/DVD
6. Download VMware Player and install it.
7. Start VMware Platyer and click the option to install a new virtual
machine… select to install from CD/DVD and when asked, insert your XP CD
and install XP as you would on any computer.
8. You can now run XP and install XP software.
This is the lowest cost option that enables you to continue to use your
existing XP hardware and software investment whilst giving you a modern
operating system with security support.
Remember, only use XP when you must, use Linux for everything you can.
Andy