Microsoft to pull plug on Vista RTM
By Stuart Turton
Posted on 26 Feb 2010 at 13:34
Microsoft has begun tolling the bell on Windows XP and Vista RTM, as it looks to nudge customers towards Windows 7.
Support for copies of Vista without either of the service packs applied will end on 13 April - meaning Microsoft will no longer offer free telephone support or security patches for the OS. Support for Windows XP SP2 will come to an end on 13 July.
Also joining XP SP2 and Vista RTM on the endangered list are Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003 RTM.
Keeping your PC up to date and as safe as possible is something that people need to think about beyond just being on the latest service pack
Windows 2000 will no longer be supported at all by Microsoft, while Windows Server 2003 RTM is being pushed into the Extended Support phase, under which customers will be required to pay for technical support, though the company will continue to provide security patches for the OS.
Microsoft is urging Windows XP SP2 and Vista RTM users to upgrade to the latest service pack, or, unsurprisingly, Windows 7.
"Keeping your PC up to date and as safe as possible is something that people need to think about beyond just being on the latest service pack," said Windows Communication manager, Brandon LeBlanc.
"I want to remind everyone of the benefits of keeping Windows Update turned on. Through Windows Update, not only are you provided with the latest security updates and service packs for Windows at no cost, but also the latest updates to products such as Internet Explorer 8 and Microsoft Security Essentials," he added.
From around the web
Windowsp SP3 doesn't work for me
I had to turn off autoupdate in Windows on my desktop when SP3 was released as it resulted in the 'blue screen of death' - using rollback got it going again. Frankly I'll take my chances and rely on my AV/Secrity software to protect me - as I can't be bothered to find out where the problem is - or pay out to replace a perfectly usable PC - ot take a chance that Windows 7 wil run on it. When it breaks I'll replace it. How many millions are like me?
By david_bunyan on 26 Feb 2010 
TBH David Bunyan - the rest of the world is like you. :)
By nicomo on 28 Feb 2010
Well Microsoft can hardly be responsible for the software that you choose to install which is more than likely the cause of your issue rather than anything Microsoft related.
Microsoft is a business like any other, it brings out new products to replacer older products, that's what makes the world go round.
And considering the support it still offers for XP, an OS that came out in 2003, it's still offering pretty good support for it.
By a_byrne22 on 1 Mar 2010
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