Windows XP Registry Mod enables security updates - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 03:03:40 pm
content: This might be old news for but I had not seen this before.I have one XP machine that I like to keep running, (software and hardware compatibility).This mod makes XP think it is Windows Embedded and will use Microsoft Update. Microsoft says it will do security updates until 2019 for Embedded.I tried it and so far so good, many new security updates downloaded and installed.Microsoft says use at your own risk of course.http://www.zdnet.com/article/registry-hack-enables-continued-updates-for-windows-xp/

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 03:37:50 pm
content: TBH I'd rather know my system was insecure than be lulled into a false sense of security, POS systems have very different requirements to desktop machines.

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 04:03:07 pm
content: No way did I intend to imply this makes XP safe and secure.Just one more thing that helps in addition to antivirus and better browser like Firefox.Every month the updates keep coming for Win 7.Security is a moving target.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 05:27:57 pm
content: Quote from: Homer J Simpson on May 05, 2015, 04:03:07 pmI wasn't saying you were, but some will. And tbh I'd expect some of these update to screw something up at some point, maybe even introduce new vulnerabilities they won't in the intended target due to them being aimed at a different (if closely related) product with different goals.QuoteSometimes every day on my preferred OS...

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 06:33:46 pm
content: No, I didn't know that. I have an old XP machine and will give it ago. I'm aware of the security implications but it's nice to have an old machine for old software.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 06:59:39 pm
content: Quote from: Homer J Simpson on May 05, 2015, 03:03:40 pmIt would have been nice if you had searched before posting:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/get-5-more-years-of-xp-patches/msg453198/#msg453198Quote from: Mechanical Menace on May 05, 2015, 03:37:50 pmIf POS systems have such different requirements, why did Microsoft sell exactly the same OS as Windows XP and POSready?Quote from: Homer J Simpson on May 05, 2015, 04:03:07 pmMicrosoft issues all the same patches for POSready/Win XP as for Win 7, so why would you think patched Win XP is any less safe and secure than patched Win 7?P.S. Since the KB3013455 fiasco, I've been less excited about applying these patches.

author: Homer J Simpson
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 05, 2015, 08:14:08 pm
content: My bad on the search.I did a quickie for xp hack or something I did not see anything.Thanks for linking the other post.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 03, 2016, 05:50:43 pm
content: Any updates on this? It's about 18 months since this came out.I've tried it on my old laptop and it still works fine. No viruses and no bugs.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 07:31:47 pm
content: I would recommend you don't apply this registry "hack". While Windows XP POSready edition did have a longer support cycle compared to Windows XP, there are some updates that were released specifically for POSready and aren't designed for machines running regular Windows XP. Installing those updates can cause things to break.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2016, 11:45:40 pm
content: Quote from: Halcyon on November 06, 2016, 07:31:47 pmCan you name one POSready update that broke Windows XP? (Other than KB3013455, which was just a mistake, and was later fixed.)

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 12:05:23 am
content: Quote from: edavid on November 06, 2016, 11:45:40 pmAgreed, cite sources.

author: Halcyon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 12:09:17 am
content: Quote from: edavid on November 06, 2016, 11:45:40 pmI don't recall now. I do remember that I did have issues. It could have been the KB3013455 update which broke things and the specific combination of software which was installed at the time.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 03:40:41 am
content: Quote from: Mechanical Menace on May 05, 2015, 05:27:57 pmWould they be worse than updating to Win 7, 8, 8.1, or 10 which can also break things?I think the best way to handle it is to maintain a completely separate XP system for legacy application.

author: Ampera
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 03:42:19 am
content: Quote from: David Hess on November 07, 2016, 03:40:41 amI'm just upset this didn't happen to Win2K

author: digsys
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 04:04:13 am
content: I've been apply those patches to XP for YEARS. Seem to work just fine ! :-) on 20-40 machines

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 04:50:38 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 07, 2016, 03:42:19 amI wish they had kept the Windows 2000 interface. Even XP was a step backwards and things have only gotten worse since then.Let me know when they restore full functionality to Windows Explorer. I want to see the directory sizes again.

author: 3roomlab
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 06:11:56 am
content: Quote from: Homer J Simpson on May 05, 2015, 03:03:40 pmim interested to know what does the new updates do?

author: rs20
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 06:30:50 am
content: Quote from: 3roomlab on November 07, 2016, 06:11:56 amJFGI: go tothis link, and do a search on that page for "Windows XP Embedded".Highlights:Quote

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 07, 2016, 10:28:18 am
content: Quote from: TwoOfFive on November 07, 2016, 12:05:23 amI agree. This is the standard FUD spouted by Microsoft to put people off doing things that would enable them to put off upgrading.In reality, all versions of Windows XP (for the same CPU architecture of course) use exactly the same kernel. The only difference will be the user interface. And if something does go wrong when applying an update (this happened, even with those updates designed for desktop XP) then it's normally fairly easy to sort out.In any case, I now use Linux as my main operating system. I only use XP on my old laptop.